Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation on growth and reproductive performance of Barbodes binotatus

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MLM) on the growth and reproduction of Barbodes binotatus. Using four dietary treatments (MLM0, 0%; MLM5, 5%; MLM10, 10%; MLM15, 15% MLM), the results showed that 5% MLM (MLM5) significantly improved weight gain, specific growth rate, fecundity, and feed conversion ratio (FCR), with the lowest FCR observed in MLM5 (1.04). Histological analysis confirmed better gonadal development in MLM5. However, higher MLM levels (10% and 15%) led to diminishing returns, likely due to anti-nutritional factors. These findings suggest that MLM5 supplementation optimizes growth, reproduction, and feed efficiency, offering economic and environmental benefits by reducing reliance on costly fish-based feeds and promoting sustainable aquaculture practices. Future research should focus on enhancing feed processing methods to improve MLM’s nutritional value while minimizing its anti-nutritional effects.