Growth performance of Trachinotus blochii (silver pompano) fed with commercial meal substituted with different levels of Moringa oleifera (malunggay) leaf

LADY YZABELLE T. BIRAY, BEZALEEL MANUEL F. MENCHAVEZ, ADRIANE P. ALMAQUER, JULNAFE B. LIBO-ON
Philippine Science High School – Western Visayas Campus, Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute, Philippines

Abstract
A six-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects in the growth performance of Trachinotus blochii juveniles when fed with commercial meal substituted with different levels of the Moringa oleifera plant. A total of 120 T. blochii juveniles were fed with four varying diets of M. oleifera meal at 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% replacement indicating Diets 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Ten juveniles were stocked in a tank of 250 liters each and the diets were replicated three times. At the end of the feeding trial, the growth parameters determined were specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The results clearly showed that T. blochii juveniles fed 5% replacement level of M. oleifera leaf meal was not significantly different with the control indicating that it can replace fish meal at 5% without significantly affecting the growth performance.

Keywords: Trachinotus blochii, Moringa oleifera, growth performance, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR)