COWPEA (VIGNA-UNGUICULATA) PROTEIN-CONCENTRATE AS REPLACEMENT FOR FISH-MEAL IN DIETS FOR TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS-NILOTICUS) FRY

This study provides information on the dietary efficiency of protein c oncentrate from cowpea seed, as an ingredient for practical diets of t ilapia fry. Five experimental diets were prepared in which animal prot ein (fish meal) was replaced by increasing amounts of plant protein, a nd fed to tilapia during a nine-week period to assess the effect on gr owth, survival and feed efficiency. The highest growth rate and feed u tilization was observed with 20-30% replacement of fish meal with cowp ea protein concentrate, while the protein efficiency was best at 40% i nclusion level. No mortalities related to the dietary plant protein we re recorded. It is concluded that cowpea seed protein concentrate is a potential ingredient for use in feeding tilapia fry, and its use is r ecommended at the inclusion levels described in this paper. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science B.V.