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Abstract
With an increasing interest in new feedstuff sources, the seeds of wild plants including the tribal pulses are receiving more attention, because of their high resistance to diseases and pests and in addition, they exhibit good nutritional qualities. The seed of Crotalaria juncea was used to replace soybean meal at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% inclusion levels respectively and the control diet was set up without the test ingredient. C. gariepinus juveniles used for the experiment were fed to satiation thrice daily and their water was changed every other day. The weekly feed supplies and weight gains were recorded and used to compute the growth, nutrient utilization and the economic parameters. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in all the growth and nutrient utilization parameters examined. The highest average weight gain (AWG) was recorded in the control treatment (107.69+2.41g) while the least value (66.09+0.48g) was recorded in fish fed with D6 (30%). Similar patterns of results were observed in the other growth parameters as well as nutrient utilization parameters. The best values for Pin, ICA and ECR were recorded in diet 2 after the CTR compared with other dietary treatments. The packed cell volume, white blood cell and haemoglobin were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the control than other tests. Similarly, the control recorded significant (P<0.05) values in the proximate composition of carcass . Sun-hemp seeds do not have any adverse effect on haematological parameters, and carcass proximate composition of the fish. Furthermore, the cost analysis showed that more profit awaits the farmer if diet 2 (10% sun-hemp seed and 20% soy bean inclusion level) is adopted in addition to the medicinal values of the test ingredient.
Keywords: Dietary effects of Sun-hemp (Crotalaria juncea Linn.),