Abstract:
Purpose : Apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients in Jatropha curcas based diets were evaluated for Nile
tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using AIA as marker or indicator.
Research Method : A total of 225tilapia were acclimatized for a week, weighed and allotted into five dietary
treatments; containing 20 and 40% of 5- and 10-minute toasted Jatropha curcas replacing soybean meal in control
diets. The diets were isonitrogenous and isolipidic. Each treatment was replicated three times with fifteen fish per
replicate. Fish were fed 5% body weight on two equal proportions per day. Acid insoluble ash and digestibility
coefficient determinations followed standard established procedures.
Findings : The results from the study indicated that the apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients in
control diets were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that test diets containing Jatropha curcas seedmeal.
There was a reduction in the apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients in the diet with increase
replacement levels which were significant (p<0.05) at a 10-minute processing time. However, no significant
difference (p>0.05) was observed in the apparent digestibility coefficient of nutrients in 5-minute toasted
Jatropha up to 40% soybean replacement among the fish fed the diet. So also, the apparent carbohydrate
digestibility coefficient of the different test dietary treatments was not statistically different (p>0.05).
Originality / Value : It is evident from this study that diets containing Jatropha curcas seedmeal were
relatively well digested by Oreochromis niloticus compared with soybean-based diets.
