Soybean meal replacement by roquette seed meal (Eruca sativa) as non-tradaitional protein source for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L)

Roquette seed meal (Eruca sativa) (RSM) was used as a plant protein source to replace soybean meal (SBM) in Nile (Oreochromis niloticus L) diets.. Isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets were formulated to contain roquette seed meal (RSM) as a partial or complete replacement of soybean meal at different levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) forming five treatments, T1 (control), T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. Diets were fed daily at rate of 3% of live body weight in triplicate groups for each treatment for 60 days. Results showed that SBM substitution with RSM at 25% (T2) was the best treatment in weight gain (8.11g/fish) and feed conversion ratio (3.8%). While, no differences were observed between T1 (control, 0%) and T2 (25%) in feed utilization parameters such specific growth rate (SGR) and relative growth rate (RGR). Survival rate did not affected by different levels of RSM. Chemical analysis of body composition illustrated gradually increasing in ash content with increasing RSM level. Highest economic efficiency observed in T5 (100%) where complete replacing of SBM by RSM. Feed cost/kg reduced to 78.38% in T5 (100%) RSM, compared with control (0%) RSM. The present study suggested that, Roquette seed meal could be partial incorporated in Nile tilapia diets as protein source without influence on growth performance or feed utilization.