Evaluation of Nutritional Quality and Haematological Parameters of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Lam Leaves in the Diet of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary levels of Moringa oleifera leaves on the growth performance and haematological parameters of Clarias gariepinus juveniles. Five treatments were used and 10 Clarias gariepinus juveniles with mean weight (19.00±0.50g) per tank each in triplicate. The five treatment tanks were fed with five isonitrogenous diets containing 40% crude protein with varying inclusion of Moringa oleifera (control diet with 0% Moringa oleifera, 4.1g Moringa oleifera inclusion, 8.2g Moringa oleifera inclusion, 12.3g Moringa oleifera inclusion and 16.39g Moringa oleifera inclusion). The fishes were fed twice daily for an experimental period of 12 weeks. The fish in tank T (4.1g inclusion of Moringa oleifera) had the best weight gain with 2 range 27.67±0.60. The specific growth rate was highest in fish in tank T (0.96±0.01). The fish fed 2 4.1g M.oleifera inclusion had the best feed conversion ratio (1.36±0.03). The highest feed intake (15.11±0.00) was found in fish fed with 4.1g M.oleifera inclusion. The protein efficiency ratio was higher in fish fed with 4.1g M. oleifera with range 1.83±0.04. Percentage weight gain was higher in fish fed 4.1g M. oleifera with range 142.00±3.06.There was no significant difference in the growth performance of all the treatment. No mortality was recorded in all experimental tanks. The Fish fed with M. oleifera showed increase in the haematological values of Packed Cell Volume (PCV), (27.38±3.06), Haemoglobin, (HGB), (8.33 ±1.01), Red blood cell, (RBC), (2.48±0.21) and white blood cell, (WBC), (220.56±9.75) compared to the values of fish fed control diet with PCV (13.87±9.40), HGB (5.03±2.70), RBC (1.25±0.85) and WBC (149.60±64.28). The white blood cell (WBC) shows no significant difference (P>0.05) among the fish in tanks T , T , T , and T (25%, 1 2 3 4 50%, 75% and 100% inclusion of M. oleifera respectively) but they were significantly different(P<0.05) from the fish in the tank T (control tank).There was reduction in the haematological 0 values of the fish fed M.oleifera diet with Mean cell haemoglobin concentration, (MCHC), (28.90±6.62) and the Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin, (MCH) (32.64±7.32) compared to the values of fish fed the control diet with MCHC (39.24±13.98) and MCH (44.00±17.12). It was concluded that using M.oleifera leaves as feed for Clarias gariepinus enhances the growth of the fish and has no negative impact on the health status of the fish. Therefore partial replacement of feed with M.oleifera should be encouraged.Keywords: Bio indicator, Heamatology, Moringa oleifera, Clarias gariepinu