Time based effects of toasting on the nutritive value of <i>Canavalia ensiformis</i> in the diets of <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> fingerlings

Abstract

Five isonitrogenous diets of 35% crude protein were formulated using raw and jack bean seeds toasted at 135^oC for 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes. Two hundred samples of Clarias gariepinus with average weight of 0.78g were allotted into net harpers in groups of 20 fish per treatment in a completely randomized experimental design. The data obtained were subjected to One Way Analysis of Variance at P<0.05 and using SPSS 17.0. Fish fed diet containing jack bean seed meal, toasted for 40 minutes (DT5), showed the best results in terms of mean weight gain (2.46±0.01), specific growth rate (2.49±0.03), protein efficiency ratio (0.067±0.001) and survival rate (100.00±0.50) while fish fed diet containing raw jack bean seed meal (DT₁) had theleast values in terms of growth performance and survival rate. The least food conversion ratio was recorded for fish fed DT₅ 2.46±0.34^a). There was significant differences in the growth parameters and carcass proximate composition between fish fed the control diet and the other experimental diets (P<0.05). The study showed that toasting jack beans for about 40 minutes has the ability to reduce its anti-nutritional factors and improve its nutritive value for inclusion in the diets of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings.