Evaluation of nutritive value of fermented de‐oiled physic nut, Jatropha curcas, seed meal for Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings

Jatropha curcas seed meal was fermented with Bacillus licheniformis (LFJSM) and Bacillus pumilus (PFJSM) separately using the solid‐state fermentation. After fermentation, the crude protein and the total hydrolysed amino acid contents were increased in LFJSM and PFJSM, while fibre content, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitor and saponins were decreased. An 84‐day feeding experiment was designed for the nutritional evaluation of LFJSM and PFJSM in Nile tilapia. Seven isonitrogenous (305.47 g kg−1 crude protein) and isocaloric (18.21 MJ kg−1 gross energy) diets were formulated by replacing 0% (control diet), 25% (LFJSM‐25), 50% (LFJSM‐50), 75% (LFJSM‐75) and 25% (PFJSM‐25), 50% (PFJSM‐50) and 75% (PFJSM‐75) of protein from fish meal with LFJSM and PFJSM. The higher weight gain and the best feed conversion ratio were found in fish fed control diet, PFJSM‐25 and PFJSM‐50, which were insignificantly different. Apparent digestibility coefficient values of dry matter, crude protein, lipid and digestible energy reached a plateau in fish fed PFJSM‐25 and PFJSM‐50. No significant differences were found in haematocrit, haemoglobin, serum alternative complement pathway components, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and triglycerides between the control diet, LFJSM‐25, LFJSM‐50, PFJSM‐25 and PFJSM‐50 treatment groups. Therefore, these findings suggest that up 50% of fish meal can be replaced by PFJSM in Nile tilapia diets.