Growth Performance of Clarias gariepinus Fed with Cooked and Uncooked Moringa oleifera Seed Diets

This research was carried out to evaluate the effects of complete and partial replacements of fishmeal with M. oleifera seed meal (MSM) on the growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. One hundred and forty (140) C. gariepinus fingerlings were used for this study. The fingerlings reared were randomly assigned to seven dietary treatments namely: control or T1 (0% MSM); T2 (20% cooked MSM), T3 (20% uncooked MSM); T4 (40% cooked MSM); T5 (40% uncooked MSM), T6 (100% cooked MSM), and T7 (100% uncooked MSM) respectively. Each treatment was replicated thrice, in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted for 10 weeks during which the parameters monitored included proximate composition, weight gain, length increase, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance at 5% significant level. The result showed that diet T7, T1, TU5, TU3 had the highest dry matter (94.64%), crude protein (49.63%), ash (11.35). The highest fibre (3.73) and lipid was recorded in diet T4 and nitrogen free extract (43.43%). There was a significant difference between the dry matter, crude protein, fibre, lipid, ash and nitrogen extract of the experimental diets (p=0.00). The results revealed that the highest weight gain was recorded by the fingerlings fed diet T1 (128.40±0.66) followed by diet T2 (120.70± 0.17) while least in those of diet T4 (56.87± 0.71). There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the weight gain. The highest length increase was recorded by the fingerlings fed diet T2 (18.90±4.72) followed by diet T1 (17.57± 2.62) while least in those of diet T7 (10.73± 0.61). There was significant differences (P<0.05) in the length increase. The fingerlings fed with diet T1 had the highest specific growth rate (6.94±0.01) followed by those fed with diet T2 (6.85±0.00) while least in those fed with T4 (5.77±0.02). There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the specific growth rate. The best value for protein efficiency ratio was recorded in the C. gariepinus fingerlings fed with diet T2 (2.98) while poorest in those fed diet TC4 (1.23). There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the protein efficiency ratio (p=0.00) of C. gariepinus fingerlings fed varying percentage inclusions of MSM (P=0.54). It was concluded that fish farmers could replace fishmeal up to 20% cooked M. oleifera seed meal in formulating Clarias gariepinus diets.