Abstract
A feeding trial was conducted for 75 days to determine the effects of garlic ( Allium sativum ) on nutrient utilization and growth in T. zillii fingerling. Five isonitrogenous and isocalorific diets (35% crude protein and 18.5MJ gross energy/kg diet) were formulated containing the control, D (0g garlic kg -1 basal diet), D1 (5g garlic kg -1 basal diet), D2 (10g garlic kg -1 basal diet), D3 (15g garlic kg -1 basal diet) and D4 (20g garlic kg -1 basal diet) and fed to triplicate group of Tilapia zillii at 4% body weight. Ten (10) Tilapia zillii (11.00 + 0.01g) fingerlings were stocked in each concrete tank with three replicate per treatment making a total of 150 fingerlings in all. T. zillii fed the diet having 20g inclusion level of garlic/kg basal diet (D 4) had better growth rate (32.12 ± 0.04) and feed efficiency (1.27±0.04)than the control diet and rest of the diets (D1, D2 and D3). Also, the survival rate of T. zillii was significantly higher in all the treatments (D1, D2, D3 and D4) compared to the control (D) and it increases with increase in the inclusion level of garlic in the basal diets (71.69-100.00) %. Apparent Protein Digestibility (APD) increases with increase in the inclusion level of garlic from 71.23% in the control diet to 85.16% in diet 4, (20 g garlic / kg control diet).
Highlights
Tilapia is native to Africa (El-Sayed, 2006) and Nigeria is the second largest producer of farm-raised tilapia in Africa after Egypt (Fagbenro et al, 2010)
The crude protein of 35% used in the formulation of the experimental diets for Tilapia zillii fingerlings (Table 1) falls within the recommended ranges of 25% - 35% crude protein requirement for Tilapia species (Santiago and Lovell 1988) and 30%-35% recommended by N.R.C (1981) and N.R.C (1983), and satisfied the nutrient requirements for tilapias (Jauncey, 2000)
The results from this study indicated that T. zillii fed the diet having 20g inclusion level of garlic/kg basal diet (D 4) had better growth rate and feed efficiency than the control diet and rest of the diets (D1, D2 and D3)(Table 2), even though the Feed Efficiency Ratio (FCR) in all the treatment diets (D1, D2, D3 and D4) and the control were within the recommended range for Tilapia (1.2 - 1.8)Rakocy and McGinty (2005)
Summary
Tilapia is native to Africa (El-Sayed, 2006) and Nigeria is the second largest producer of farm-raised tilapia in Africa after Egypt (Fagbenro et al, 2010). There are about 80 species of tilapias worldwide (Fortes, 2005; Grafman and Chriswaterguy, 1998) and the most important tilapias in aquaculture amongst others are the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus and the red belly tilapia, Tilapia zillii (Hepher and Pruginin 1981, Mair 2001, FAO 2002). These species account for 99.5% of global tilapia production. The total world tilapia landings from capture and culture have been estimated at 1.16 million tons with cultured tilapia accounting for 57% of the total (659,000 tons) (Fortes, 2005)
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