ABSTRACT

The experimental was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and nutrient utilization of Clarias gariepinus fed varying inclusion level of Moringa oleifera leaf meal. A total of ninety fingerlings were allocated to three treatments of M. oleifera leaf meal at 0%, 10% and 20% treatment 1 has no M. oleifera, treatment 2 has 10% substitution of M. oleifera, treatment 3 20% substitution. Ninety fingerlings were stocked in a bowel of 70 liters each and the treatments were replicated trice. At the end of the feeding trails the growth parameters determine were final weight, specific growth rate, food production ratio, protein efficacy ratio and meal weight again. All the growth parameters were significant different P>0.05). Meal weight gain of 5.56 was observed in treatment 1 and the last value 3.93, was recorded in treatment 2.The mean weight gain observed in the treatments 1-3 shows that all formulated diets· were nutritionally adequate. Treatment 1 had the highest percentage weight gain of 5.56%. The best feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio were achieved by treatment 1. The result clearly showed that fish fed fish meal follow· by 20% M. oleifera performed excellently well. Therefore, it can be concluded that M. oleifera leaf meal can replaced fishmeal p to 20% in the nutrition of C. gariepinus.