Effects of replacing soya bean meal with fermented African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) meal on the growth performance and condition factor of Tilapia zilli fingerlings

The study was conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of Tilapia zilli fingerlings fed with locust bean meal as a replacement for soya bean meal in the diet. Two hundred and ten (210) heterogeneous sexes of Tilapia zilli fingerlings with mean weight of 15.24±0.01g were reared for 84 days in five rectangular glass tanks measuring 0.9 m x 0.45 m x 0.45 m and partitioned into three replicates with 14 fingerlings in each replicate. Five experimental diets were formulated at 0% (soya bean meal only), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100 % locust bean meal inclusion levels at T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively. Results showed that there were no significant differences (p>0.05) among the treatments as compared to mean weight gained, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate, protein efficiency, mortality/survival rate. Fish fed 100% locust bean meal showed the best growth performance in body weight gain, food conversion ratio and specific growth rate (SGR) but with poor condition factor and high mortality rate (54.76%). The study indicated that fermented African locust bean meal could be included in the diets of Tilapia zilli at 50% inclusion level from the view point of low mortality rate and final condition factor over other treatments. African locust bean meal could also be recommended for food security management purposes in replacing soya bean meal in order to reduce conflict that could emanates from the wide range of usage for other dietary purposes.