EVALUATION OF DEHYDRATED ALFALFA AND SALT BUSH (ATRIPLEX) LEAVES IN DIETS FOR TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS-AUREUS L)

The potential of dehydrated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and salt bush (Atriplex numularia L.) leaves in formulated diets for male tilapia w as evaluated. Nine isonitrogenous diets (40% crude protein) were formu lated. Fish meal protein was substituted at the rates of 5, 10, 20, an d 30% with protein from dehydrated alfalfa or Atriplex leaves. A diet containing no plant leaves served as the control. Fish fed the control diet had significantly (P<0.05) better weight gain and feed conversio n values. All fish fed diets supplemented with various levels of the t wo plant leaves demonstrated reduced growth and feed utilization effic iency (P<0.05). The growth rate and other nutritional parameters decre ased with increasing inclusion levels of the two plant leaves. The adv erse effects of diets supplemented with Atriplex leaves was more marke d than that observed with alfalfa leaves. The use of the two plant lea ves in diets for Oreochromis aureus is not recommended.