Author(s) :

Christian Heriniaina Rafanomezantsoa, Rakotozandriny Jean de Neupomuscène, Robijaona Rahelivololoniaina Baholy, Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Pius Tshimankinda Mpiana, Jean Marie Razafindrajaona.

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Abstract :

The surge in aquaculture feed costs constitutes a major constraint to the development of fish farming in Madagascar. This study evaluates the effect of an alternative diet based on jackfruit seed meal on tilapia growth. Over a period of 100 days, two diets were tested on 390 tilapias with an initial weight of 30±2,45g: a control diet (R0) and an experimental diet (RI) containing 28,60% jackfruit seed meal, at the Milasoa fish farming center of Andranovelona. After stocking, five morphometric parameters were measured every 20 days: weight, total length, standard length, headless length, and height. The results indicate that fish fed the RI diet showed higher growth than those in the R0 group, with a survival rate of 100% in both groups. The specific growth rate was 0,875%/day for R0 and 0,924%/day for RI, in an environment favorable to fish development (RI: K = 2,078±0,035 vs. R0: K = 2,122±0,033). The population exhibited “negative allometric” growth in the R0 group and “isometric” growth in the RI group. Furthermore, fish fed the RI diet showed the best feed conversion ratio throughout the trial, with a peak value of 2,73 at the second sampling, and achieved a reduction in production costs of 8,32%. The evolution of the effects of the different tested diets on tilapia allowed a better evaluation of the effectiveness of the jackfruit seed–based diet on performance and feed cost reduction. A complementary study on the organoleptic quality of the flesh will follow the present study. Keywords: Sustainable aquaculture, alternative feed, Artocarpus heterophyllus, growth, Oreochromis niloticus, Madagascar.

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