Abstract
The effect of fermented and unfermented Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens utilis) seed on growth performance of the Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) Trewavas, was investigated in eight weeks feeding trial in concrete tanks. Three approximately isonitrogenous diets were fed to three sets of fingerlings of Oreochromis niloticus. Specific growth rate (SGR), average weight gain, (AWG), percentage weight gain (FWG), food conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were not significantly different (P>0.05) from the control. However, crude protein, ash and nitrogen free extract of the carcass composition were significantly different (P>0.05). Fish weight ranged from L75+0.14 - 5.60+089, 2.13±0.43 - 5.67+1.46 and 1.45±0.12 -4.87±0.64 for Dl, D2 and D3 respectively. The average weight gains were 3.85g, 3.54g and 3.42g for Dl, D2 and D3 respectively. Average apparent food consumed is in the order D2 >D1 > D3. Fermented Mucuna seed diet (D2) has the highest food conversion ratio of 1.51 followed by the control diet 1.22 and 1.19 for D3. Diet 3 is the most cost effective of the three diets. D3 has the highest food efficiency (0.84) followed by Dl (0.82) and the least D2 (0.66). Results of this study appear to show that unfermented Mucuna diet can conveniently replace Soya bean based diet for feeding Oreochromis niloticus.KEYWORDS: Mucuna bean, substitution, efficiency and cost effectiveness
Highlights
Mucuna pruriens utilis, an underutilized tropical legume, has a nutritional quality comparable to Soya bean and other Conventional Legumes as it contain similar proportion of protein, Lipids, minerals and other nutrients
Unfermented Mucuna Seed - Dry mature seed of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis was obtained from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan
In terms of percentage weight gain, there is no significant difference among the three diets (P>0.05), D3 shows the highest value (235.86) followed by Dl (220,00) and diet 2 (D2) (166.20)
Summary
An underutilized tropical legume, has a nutritional quality comparable to Soya bean and other Conventional Legumes as it contain similar proportion of protein, Lipids, minerals and other nutrients. The processed velvet bean are exploited as a protein source in the diet of fish, poultry, pig and cattle. Amongst the identified local feed ingredients in Nigeria, wheat bran, cattle blood and Soya bean meal are ideal industrial by-product for feed processing. They represent carbohydrate, animal protein and plant protein sources necessary for fish feed formulation(Bekibele, 2007). Department Animal and Environmental Biology, Fisheries and Hydrobiology Unit, University of Port Harcourt Nigeria. Aleleye-Wokoma, Department Animal and Environmental Biology, Fisheries and Hydrobiology Unit, University of Port Harcourt Nigeria. Protein may be used for energy and life support rather than growth
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