Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seed on Milt Quality of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Broodstocks

Purpose : The effects of Phoenix dactylifera seed powder on milt quality of Clarias gariepinus was investigated. The purpose of the research were to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of P. dactylifera seed meal on the milt quality  of African catfish, C. gariepinus; and to examine the effects of the dietary supplementation of P. dactylifera seed meal on the histology of the testes.

Research Method : Five diets with crude protein of 40% were formulated with different inclusion levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0g date palm/100g of diet. 75 male C. gariepinus broodstocks (327.26 ± 8.61g) were randomly distributed in triplicate into 15 concrete tanks at stocking density of 5 fish per tank for 70 days.

Findings : Reproductive performance indices and milt quality parameters were determined at the end of the feeding trial. There was no significant differences (P<0.05) in the weight of testes, gonadosomatic index and weight gain in fish in all the experimental diets. The milt count (102.40 x 104spz/ml ± 0.87) and motility duration (60.70s ± 0.13 seconds) were highest in fish fed diet PDSP 4 (1.5g date palm/100g diet) and PDSP 5 (2.0g date palm/100g). The percentage motility was highest in fish fed PDSP 5 at (2.0g date palm/100g diet).

Research limitations : The limitation of this research was the unavailability of funds to extend this research in order to carry out more investigation using other culturable fish species.

Value of the Research : The study revealed that dietary supplementation of P. dactylifera seed powder at 2.0g/100g diet significantly increased milt quality of C. gariepinus broodstocks.