Evaluation of Moringa Leaf Meal Supplementation on Feed Intake and Growth of Tilapia Fingerlings in Kebbi State

Moringa oleifera leaf meal has attracted growing interest as a nutritional supplement in aquafeeds due to its rich amino acid profile and bioactive compounds. This study evaluates the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation at dietary inclusion levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% on feed intake, growth performance, and survival of Nile tilapia fingerlings cultured in outdoor concrete tanks in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, North West Nigeria. One hundred and fifty fingerlings with an initial mean weight of 7.2 g were distributed across 15 tanks and fed experimental diets for eight weeks. Biweekly sampling was conducted for weight and length measurements. Water quality parameters were monitored weekly and maintained within recommended ranges for tilapia culture. Results demonstrated that fish fed the 10% Moringa leaf meal diet recorded the highest weight gain and specific growth rate, significantly outperforming the control group. Feed intake was highest in the 10% treatment group. Performance declined at inclusion levels above 15%, attributed to elevated crude fibre content reducing palatability and digestibility. Survival rate exceeded 93% across all treatment groups. The study concludes that Moringa leaf meal at 10% dietary inclusion enhances growth performance in Nile tilapia and offers a cost-effective and locally available nutritional supplement suitable for small-scale tilapia farmers in Kebbi State and comparable arid zone aquaculture settings.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, leaf meal, Oreochromis niloticus, growth performance, Kebbi State