Supplement Effect of Freeze Dried Tribulus terrestris Seeds Extract in Feed of Nile Tilapia Fries O. niloticus, on Growth Performance and Feed Efficiencies

Abstract

The freeze-dried dietary extract of *Tribulus terrestris* seeds were incorporated into the feed of *O. niloticus* fries. Four experimental diets were prepared using commercial feed containing 0.00 g/kg, 2.00 g/kg, 2.50 g/kg, and 3.00 g/kg of the extract. These diets were referred to as control feed, feed1, feed2, and feed3, respectively, and were tested in triplicate. Fries (0.012 ± 0.002 g) were randomly distributed into aquaria at a density of 180 fries per aquarium. Experimental feeds were provided to the fries immediately after they completely absorbed their yolk sacs. The fry was fed four times a day (at 7:00 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:00 pm) for 70 days. The experiment was conducted indoors to prevent the growth of algae in the aquaria, and the water conditions were monitored regularly. The growth performance and feed efficiency parameters were calculated. The effects of dietary treatments on different parameters were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were found, and Tukey’s HSD/Duncan’s test multiple comparison tests were performed to determine the mean differences. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16.0, and the data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). The weight gain (WG) of the fish group fed with feed3 (3.00 g/kg) was significantly the highest at 0.086 ± 0.024 g, and the highest absolute growth rate (AGR) was also recorded for this group. Conversely, the lowest growth performance ( WG and AGR) was observed in the fish group fed with feed2 (2.00 g/kg), although they exhibited the best feed conversion ratio (FCR). These findings indicate that incorporating dietary extract of *Tribulus terrestris* seeds into the feed improved the growth and feed efficiency of *O. niloticus* fries, with the improvements correlating with increased extract dosage. The extracted product is cost-effective and can potentially substitute other expensive fish additives used in fish feed formulations.