Evaluation of varying inclusion levels of Toasted Sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal in the Practical Diet of Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings in a concrete tanks

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted for 56 days to evaluate the suitability of toasted Sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal (TSOM) inclusion in the practical diet of Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings through their growth performance, nutrient utilization, and body composition. C. gariepinus fingerlings (mean initial weight 1.46±0.02 g) were fed with formulated five experimental diets containing different levels of TSOM and were designated as D1 (0% inclusion of TSOM) D2 (10% inclusion of TSOM) D3 (20% inclusion of TSOM) D4 (30% inclusion of TSOM) and D5 (10% inclusion of Raw Senna obtusifolia seed meal (RSOM)). Fifteen net hapa (0.5x0.5x1m) were suspended in two outdoor concrete tanks (8mx5mx1.5m) with the aid of kuralon twine tied to plastic poles. The concrete tanks were filled to 5/6 of its volume (40m3) with filtered and dechlorinated tap water, 20 fish were accommodated in each hapa. Each treatment was randomly allocated to three hapa. The results of the growth performance showed that fish fed with D3 had the highest final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed intake (FI), and was significantly different from other fishes fed with other experimental diets; while D5 was significantly lower than the other experimental diets (P<0.05), although, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference between fish fed with D1, and D2, however they were significantly higher than D4. Except for D3 with a higher significant value of feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER), fish fed with D1, D2 and D4 were not significantly different from each other but were significantly higher than fish fed D5. Whole body proximate composition of fish fed all diets showed that inclusion of TSOM influenced moisture and lipid contents. This study showed that toasted Senna obtusifolia seed meal would be a potential suitable ingredient for Clarias gariepinus fingerlings and that it may be included in a diet up to 20 % without any adverse effect.