Abstract. Rubber leaves are a large by-product of rubber plantations which could serve as an important source of unconventional feed of agro by-product origin. However, it contains antinutritional factors which limits it utilization on a large scale as feed for animal nutrition. This study seeks to improve the nutritional value of rubber leaves meal through hydrothermal processing. Fresh leaves of rubber were collected from Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria in Benin City, and divided into five batches; four of these batches were subjected to varying periods of hydrothermal processing namely, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes, while one batch was kept as control without processing. Result reveals significant reduction in phytic acid, Hydrocyanic acid and Tannin as the processing time progressed. However, crude protein increased till the 10 th min and significantly reduced thereafter and contrary to this, fat and ash significantly reduced as the time increased. Nutritional trials with various animals are recommended to evaluate feed utilization as a result of this processing method.
Fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were fed diets containing 0-min, 5-min, 10-min, 15min and 20-min inclusion periods of different hydrothermally processed rubber leaves-based diets. After 8 weeks of feeding trials in outdoor hapas, it was observed that growth performance indices such as Mean Weight Gain, Feed Conversion Ratio, Feed Conversion Efficiency, Specific Growth Rate, Protein Efficiency Ratio and Apparent Net Protein Utilization were significantly affected (P < 0.05) across the treatment, where Diet 3 (10-min inclusion of hydrothermal processed rubber leaves meal) gave the best result in all the growth performance indices. Inclusion periods of 10 min of boiled rubber leaves meal (RLM) should not be exceeded in the diet of Clarias gariepinus. This limit had no negative effect on growth and also reduces production cost of fish since the leaves are easily available in regions where this plant is cultivated.
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