EVALUATION OF JOJOBA SEED MEAL (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) AS PARTIAL AND TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF FISHMEAL IN NILE TILAPIA, OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS (L.), FINGERLINGS DIETS

Abstract

The suitability of treated jojoba seeds meal (Simmondsia chinensis) (JSM) as a partial and total substitute for dietary fish meal protein in the diets of fingerlings Nile tilapia was evaluated. Five experimental diets were formulated with JSM replacing 0.0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % of fish meal protein (diets A, B, C, D and E, respectively). The control diet was prepared with fish meal as the sole source of protein. All the diets were isonitrogenous with 30.3% protein and isocaloric with 4.0 kcal/g of diet. Experimental diets were fed to two replicate groups of Nile tilapia with initial average body weight of 3.3 ± 0.01g. The feeding trial was conducted under laboratory conditions for a period of 16-week. The results of the present study revealed that, the fish fed diet B which contained 25% JSM had significantly (P £ 0.01) the best average body weight, gain in weight (g/fish), gain in weight %, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and feed consumed (g/fish) compared with those of fish fed control diet A (100% FM) and all other diets. Survival rate % of the fish fed experimental diets B and C were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from those of fish fed the control diet A. Chemical composition of fish flesh crude protein and crude fat (dry basis %) and apparent digestibility coefficient of crude protein and crude fat of the fish fed experimental diets B and C did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) from those of fish fed the control diet A. From the above results and the economic evaluation of the study it can be concluded that, up to 25 % of fish meal protein can be replaced by jojoba seed meal protein in fingerlings Nile tilapia diets without decreasing the growth performance and feed utilization parameters. More scientific research is needed to maximize the commercial benefit from JSM by other fish species.