Evaluation of Varying Inclusion Levels of Toasted and Fermented Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkin) Seed Meal in Diet of Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia) Fingerlings

Abstract

A 70-day (10 weeks) feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the varying inclusion levels of toasted and fermented Cucurbita maxima seed meal as a protein source in the diet of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings. Diets were formulated containing 0, 20 and 40 % C. maxima seed meal and designated as D1 (0 %: Control), D2 (20 % fermented C. maxima seed meal), D3(40 % fermented C. maxima seed meal), D4(20 % toasted C. maxima seed meal) and D5(40 % toasted C. maxima seed meal). The feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio including protein retention were not significantly different (P>0.05) amongst the fish fed D2, D3 and D4 but differs significantly (P<0.05) from D1 and D5. Fish fed with a formulated diet of D2 had a better growth performance in terms of final body weight gain and differs significantly from D1 and D5, but was not different significantly from D3 and D4. Therefore, fermented and toasted C. maxima seed meal is suitable and can be included in the diets of O. niloticus fingerlings without negatively affecting their growth performance, which also may ultimately result in the reductions of over-dependence on fishmeal in aqua feed production.