Replacement of Soyabean Meal with Toasted Leucaena leucocephala Seed Meal in the Diet of Catfish Hybrid (Clarias gariepinus ♀ X Heterobranchus longifilis ♂) Post Fingerlings
B. S. Aliu *
Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, P.M.B. 1154, Benin City, Nigeria
D. E. Omosigho
Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, P.M.B. 1154, Benin City, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Ground toasted Leucaena leucocephala seed (TLLS) was incorporated as a non-convectional feedstuff at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50% replacement level for Soyabean cake; and fed to clariid catfish hybrid “Heteroclarias” (Clarias gariepinus ♀ x Heterobranchus longifilis ♂) post fingerlings in plastic tanks and fed to satiation twice daily. All feeds contained 40% crude protein (CP). The mean weight gain of fish, feed intake and specific growth rate showed no significant difference (ANOVA: P > 0.05) between treatment I and II, but were significantly different from treatments III, IV and V. The percentage weight gain and protein efficiency ratio were not significantly difference (ANOVA: P > 0.05) among all the treatments, feed conversion ratio was significantly difference (ANOVA: P> 0.05). The mean weight-gain of fish, percentage weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio was significantly superior in treatment I (control), while treatment II was the next in terms of superior ranking. Treatment IV, V and VI did not favor fish growth and feed utilization. Survival among treatments slightly varied but not as a result of the feed treatments. At the end of the experiment, the recommended inclusion level of toasted Leucaena leucocephala seed meal was 10% as a possible replacement for soybean seed meal.
Keywords: Heteroclarias, non-convectional plant protein, Leucaena leucocephala, growth and nutrient performance