EFFECT OF PURSLANE SEEDS (PORTULACA OLERACEAE) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION AND BODY COMPOSITION OF NILE-TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS)

EFFECT OF PURSLANE SEEDS (PORTULACA OLERACEAE) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION AND BODY COMPOSITION OF NILE-TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS)

Mohamed M. Zenhom and Mohamed K. Khames

Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt.

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation
with
Purslane seeds (Portulaca oleraceae) on growth performance, feed utilization and body composition of Nile-tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings with an average 5 ± 0.21g. A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in 12 aquariums (75 – 60 – 45cm in diameters).with three replications per treatment. Four experimental diets were formulated to containing 0% (control), 1, 2 and 3% Purslane seeds. All experimental feeds contained isonitrogenous (30% crude protein) and isocaloric (458 Kcal gross energy/100g). The results revealed that Purslane seeds supplementation significantly enhanced the fish growth over the control group.
Also, condition factor and survival rate were significantly increased with increasing Purslane seeds percentage in the diets. While, feed conversion ratio gradually significantly improved with increasing Purslane seeds percentage in the diets 2% inclusion level after that, without significantly increased. Body protein content was significantly increased with increasing Purslane seeds percentage in the diets. While moisture and fat content were significantly decreased with increasing Purslane seeds percentage in the diets. On other hand ash content was not significant difference by diet.

It could be concluded that the dietary addition of 2-3% powder of Purslane seeds enhanced the growth performance, feed utilization and body composition of O. niloticus fish.