UTILIZATION OF EGYPTIAN MALLOW IN FEEDING COMMON CARP (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of using Egyptian mallow leaf meal (EMLM) on growth performance and feed utilization of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in experiment 1. Four diets containing 0, 5, 15 and 25% EMLM were included at the expense of berseem leaf meal and fed to fingerlings of common carp for 98 days. The results showed that the average daily gain, feed intake and feed coefficient ratio (FCR) were improved (p<0.05) with increasing the level of EMLM in the diet. Fish fed 25% EMLM were similar to control fish (30% berseem leaf meal) in the productive value (PPV%). In experiment 2, five diets were prepared to contain: 1) 30% berseem leaf meal, 2) 25% untreated EMLM, 3) 25% cooked EMLM 4) 25% treated EMLM with 0.5% NaOH and 5) 25% treated EMLM with 1% NaOH. The results showed that diet containing EMLM gave the best growth performance and feed utilization. However, diet containing 1% NaOH treated EMLM superior to the other diets in PPV% and energy utilization. Diets containing 0.5% NaOH-treated EMLM or cooked EMLM decreased the protein utilization compared to those containing EMLM.