Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Fermented Mucuna pruriens Leaf Meal on Growth and Feed Utilisation of Clarias gariepinus Fingerlings

Feeding trial was conducted in 18 plastic tanks (60 x 45 x 30 cm) to assess the performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed diets containing fermented Mucuna pruriens leaf meal as an alternative protein source to soya bean meal. Five isonitrogenous (crude protein-40%) diets were formulated containing fermented Mucuna leaf meal (FMLM) at A(100% FMLM), B(75% FMLM), C(50% FMLM), D(25% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) and were fed at 5% body weight to triplicate groups of 10 fingerlings (initial mean weight ranged from 6.20± 1.96g – 6.80± 1.97 g) of C. gariepinus for a period of twelve (12) weeks. Growth performance and feed utilisation parameters indicate that E(0% FMLM) diet gave the highest weight gain (168.87± 3.97g) but did not significantly (P≥0.05) differ from D(25% FMLM), (161.30±6.12 g), and the lowest weight gain (89.70± 1.96 g) was recorded in A(100% FMLM). Similarly, the highest specific growth rate (3.79±0.03 g) was recorded in E(0% FMLM) followed by D(25% FMLM) (3.74±0.04 g), and the least value (3.10±0.02 g) was obtained in A(100% FMLM). However, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and gross feed conversion efficiency (GFCE) were not significantly different (P≥0.05) among the dietary treatments. The highest (1.72±0.12) and least (1.50±0.02) FCR were obtained in A(100% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) respectively. The result from this study indicates that fermented Mucuna leaf meal could replace soya bean meal up to 25% in the diets for C. gariepinus fingerlings without compromising growth and feed utilisation.