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Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department

SEAFDEC/AQD Institutional Repository http://repository.seafdec.org.ph
Institutional Reports Quarterly Research Reports

1980

Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leaves

as a plant protein source in prawn diets

Piedad-Pascual, Felicitas
Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center

Piedad-Pascual, F., & Tabbu, N. S. (1980). Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leaves as a plant
protein source in prawn diets. SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Quarterly Research Report,
4(1), 1–4.

http://hdl.handle.net/10862/2361

Downloaded from http://repository.seafdec.org.ph, SEAFDEC/AQD's Institutional Repository

Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leaves as
a plant protein source in prawn diets

by Felicitas Piedad-Pascual and Nilda S. Tabbu

Penaeus monodon juveniles weighing between one to tw o g were fed diets containing fish
meal, shrimp head meal and ipil-ipil leaves soaked and unsoaked, local and Peruvian varieties. Each
protein source contributed 1/3 o f the calculated 30% protein content. They were fed for 8 weeks
in fiberglass aquaria, with continuous aeration and flowthrough water. A diet w ithout ipil-ipil
served as the control (FS). Commercially dried and ground ipil-ipil was incorporated in one of
the diets, CIL. Peruvian leaves soaked, (PILS), Peruvian unsoaked, (PILU) + local unsoaked
(LILU ) and local soaked (LILS) were incorporated in diets PILS, PILU, LILU and LILS, respec­
tively.

Mean weight gain at the end of 8 weeks was significantly highest ( P < 0.05) among those
given the diet (CIL) containing commercial ipil-ipil leaves, 124.1% (Table 2) while mean
weight gain of the animals fed the fish meal, shrimp meal (FS) diet, 78.8% was slightly higher
but was not significantly different from those fed the diets containing soaked Peruvian ipil-ipil
leaves (PILS), unsoaked Peruvian ipil-ipil leaves (PILU) and soaked local ipil-ipil leaves (LILS).

Gain in length followed the same pattern as mean weight gains. Those fed the CIL signi­
ficantly gained in length by 31.5% (P <0.05). The increase in length o f the animals fed the non-
ipil-ipil containing diet (FS) was not significantly different from those fed diets containing the
local or Peruvian leaves, soaked or unsoaked.

Nevertheless, some attempts were made to measure the protein intake o f the shrimps.
The juveniles fed the diet w ithout ipil-ipil (FS) apparently absorbed the highest amount o f protein
compared to those fed the diets containing ipil-ipil (Table 3). Generally, protein efficiency ratios
were low for all treatments but diet CIL was significantly the highest, 0.12 ( P < 0.05). The e ffi­
ciency of the protein o f diet CIL was twice those o f the other diets including the diet that did not
contain ipil-ipil. Mean protein intake, 25.8 mg, of those fed diet CIL was similar to those fed FS,
25.5 mg, but protein efficiency was not the same.

The number of survivors per week started to decline after the first week o f feeding in those
fed LILU diet and continued to decline rapidly. A fter four weeks o f feeding only half o f the
original population had survived and by five weeks only tw o survived. A t the end o f the experi­
ment only one prawn in the four replicates survived. In contrast to diet LILU m ortality was
observed in those fed PILS and LILS only after the third week. A fte r the second week o f feeding
there were deaths observed in those fed PILU, CIL and FS.

Among the treatment diets that contained ipil-ipil leaves, there was a direct relationship
in the amount of mimosine in the diet and survival rate. The prawns fed the diet that contained
1.52% mimosine gave 0% survival rate at the end o f the experiment, whereas the diet that con­
tained the soaked local ipil-ipil leaves with a computed mimosine value of 0.26% gave a survival
rate of 87.5%. Survival rate was not significantly different among those groups fed the Peruvian
variety regardless of whether the leaves were soaked or unsoaked ( P < 0.05). Of those fed the
commercial ipil-ipil leaves survival rate was the lowest, 43.8%,but was not significantly different
from those fed diets PILS and PILU. Replicate tanks for diets PILU and PILS did not have similar
survival rates. Survival rate o f those fed the non-ipil-ipil containing diet (FS) was slightly lower
than those fed local ipil-ipil soaked leaves but was not significantly different (P < 0.05).

1
T a b le 1. C h em ical co m p o sitio n o f diets in percent (d ry w eigh t basis)1
.

P IL S P IL U L IL S L IL U C IL FS

D r y m a tte r 9 1 .5 0 9 1 .5 0 9 1 .5 0 9 4 .0 0 9 3 .5 0 9 1 .5 0

M o is tu re 8 .5 0 8 .5 0 8 .5 0 6 .0 0 6 .5 0 8 .5 0

C ru d e p ro te in 2 9 .5 6 2 7 .3 4 2 7 .6 5 2 9 .4 8 2 6 .0 3 2 8 .3 4

C ru d e f a t 1 0 .0 8 1 0 .3 9 7 .8 8 8 .8 7 8 .9 4 7 .7 6

C ru d e fib e r 6 .6 2 6 .8 7 1 1 .8 6 8 .2 7 7 .0 8 1 0 .7 3

Ash .0 2 2 2 .1 9 1 9 .4 6 2 0 .2 8 3 0 .3 2 2 8 .1 8

N itro g e n fre e e x tr a c t 3 1 .8 4 3 1 .6 3 6 .5 3 5 .4 2 2 .1 3 1 6 .4 9

D .E . K c a l/1 0 0 g2 2 6 5 .0 0 2 5 9 .0 0 2 5 2 .8 5 2 6 4 .5 3 2 1 8 .8 2 0 3 .3

M im o s in e in th e d ie t 0 ( 0 .4 ) 3 0 (0 .6 9 ) 0 (0 .2 6 ) 1 .5 2 0 .7 6 -

M im o s in e in p u re leaves 1 .1 4 1 .9 6 0 .8 8 5 .0 6 1.9 0 —

1 A n a ly z e d b y th e C h e m is try s e c tio n , S E A F D E C .

2
Calculations were based on the D.E. fo r channel catfish: Protein 3.5, Carbohydrate 2.5,
Fat 8.1 KCal/g.
3
Values in parentheses were calculated from mimosine content in leaves.

T h e lo w s u rv iv a l ra te b u t s u p e rio r g r o w th o f th o se fe d th e C IL d ie t seems t o bear o u t th e

t h e o r y t h a t g ro w th is a f u n c tio n o f p o p u la tio n d e n s ity as w e ll as d ie t (S h e w b a rt, e t a l., 1 9 7 3 ).
T h e re fo re , th e assessment o f an im a ls fe d d ie ts th a t caused v a ria b le s u rviva l rates is d if f ic u lt .
H o w e v e r, lo w s u rv iv a l rates an d w e ig h t gains w e re ob served in th o se fe d P IL S and P IL U . Thus,
a lth o u g h s to c k in g d e n s ity was a fa c to r t h a t c o u ld have caused g ro w th d iffe re n c e s , d ie t p la ye d
a ro le in th e g r o w th process. N o t o n ly th e q u a n tity o f p ro te in b u t also th e q u a lit y o f th e p ro te in
c o u ld cause th e d iffe re n c e in w e ig h t gain b e tw e e n th e a n im a ls fe d th e c o m m e rc ia l ip il- ip il leaves
an d o th e r g ro u p s . S in ce th e a m in o acid p a tte rn s o f th e d ie ts w e re n o t a n a ly z e d , on e can o n ly
su rm ise t h a t th e a m in o acid p a tte rn o f th e C I L d ie t was b e tte r th a n th e o th e r d ie ts . T h e e ffic ie n c y
o f th e p ro te in d e p e n d s o n m a n y fa c to rs such as p ro te in c o n te n ts , p ro te in q u a lity and p ro te in
d ig e s tib ilit y (K a k a d e , 1 9 7 4 ).

R e su lts in a s tu d y b y D e sh im a ru an d S h ig u e n o (1 9 7 2 ) sh o w e d th a t a h ig h p r o p o r tio n o f fish

m eal in th e d ie t gave p o o r g ro w th t o P. ja p o n ic u s and was p ro b a b ly d u e to a d e fic ie n c y in basic
a m in o acids. T h e FS had m o re fis h m eal th a n th e C IL d ie t b y 9% .

2
T a b le 2. M ean weights, lengths, and percent s u r v iv a l1
.

M ean M ean
M ean M ean Increase in it ia l fin a l Increase
le n g th le n g th in le n g th S u rv iv a l
D ie t in it ia l fin a l in w t
w t (g) (m m ) (m m ) % %
w t (g) %

P IL S 2 1 .3 4 2 .0 4 5 2 .0 b 5 6 .7 6 4 .8 1 4 .2 b 5 4 .2 b

P IL U 1 .2 6 2 .0 7 6 3 .9 b 5 6 .4 6 6 .0 1 7 .2 b 5 0 .0 b

L IL S 1 .2 4 2 .0 0 6 2 .2 b 5 4 .8 6 5 .4 1 9 .5 b 8 7 .5 a

L IL U 1 .3 6 - - 5 2 .0 - - 0

C IL 1 .3 0 2 .9 0 1 2 4 .1 a 5 5 .6 73.1 3 1 .5 a 4 3 .8 c

FS 1.3 2 2 .3 4 7 8 .8 b 5 5 .2 6 7 .7 2 2 .6 b 7 9 .2 a,b

1M ean o f 4 re p lic a te ta n k s

2
V a lu e s w it h th e sam e s u p e rs c rip ts are n o t s ig n ific a n tly d iff e r e n t f r o m each o th e r ( P < 0 .0 5 ) .

P o o r g ro w th m ig h t n o t o n ly be d u e t o th e q u a lit y o f th e p r o te in b u t also t o th e q u a n tity

o f p ro te in in th e d ie t. N e w (1 9 7 6 ) re p o rte d t h a t th e re are c o n f lic t in g re su lts f o r o p t im u m d ie ta r y
p ro te in levels in th e lite ra tu re . D a ta p re se n te d in d ic a te d t h a t 2 7 -3 5 % was o p tim u m d e p e n d in g
o n th e species. P re lim in a ry s tu d ie s in th e la b o r a to r y s h o w d ie ta r y p r o te in re q u ire m e n t o f ju v e n ile
P. m o n o d o n t o range b e tw e e n 3 0 t o 40 % (P a rre n o , 1 9 7 7 , K h a n n a p a , 1 9 7 7 ), w h ile A la v a (1 9 7 9 )
re p o rte d p r o te in re q u ire m e n t o f P. m o n o d o n ju v e n ile s t o be 4 0 t o 50% d e p e n d in g o n th e ty p e o f
p ro te in s o u rce . S h ig u e n o and D e s h im a ru (1 9 7 2 ) re p o rte d a p r o te in re q u ire m e n t f o r P. ja p o n ic u s
to be 60% . H o w e v e r, th e a b ilit y to p ro v id e a b a la n ce d a m in o a cid p r o file m ig h t re d u ce th e
a m o u n t o f p ro te in ne ed ed . T h e y n o te d t h a t th e a m in o a cid p a tte rn o f th e a r t if ic ia l d ie ts th a t
th e y fo u n d h ig h ly e f f ic ie n t w e re s im ila r t o t h a t o f cla m s an d p ra w n s . In th is s tu d y , 30 % p ro te in
c o n te n t was cho sen o n th e a s s u m p tio n th a t i f ip il- ip il leaves c o u ld s u p p o rt g ro w th in a d ie t c o n ­
ta in in g r e la tiv e ly lo w a m o u n ts o f p ro te in it s h o u ld be b e n e fic ia l in s lig h tly h ig h e r p r o te in d ie ts .
A lo w e r th a n 40 % p ro te in d ie t w o u ld a lso co st less.

T h e fa c t t h a t a s u rv iv a l rate o f 100% was o b ta in e d in 2 o u t o f 4 re p lic a te s in th o s e fe d

th e soaked lo c a l v a rie ty o f ip il- ip il leaves sho w s t h a t m im o s in e can be e x tra c te d an d th e leaves
can be in c o rp o ra te d in th e d ie t w it h o u t ca u sin g h a r m fu l e ffe c ts .

T h e r e la tiv e ly g o o d g r o w th o f th e p ra w n s o n th e d ie t c o n ta in in g c o m m e rc ia l ip il- ip il leaves

(C I L) and th e h ig h s u rv iv a l rate o f th o s e fe d soa ked lo c a l leaves p ro ve s t h a t th e a d d itio n o f ip il- ip il
leaves t o th e d ie t is n o t d e trim e n ta l b u t ra th e r b e n e fic ia l. F o r as lo n g as th e m im o s in e c o n te n t
o f th e leaves is d ra s tic a lly re d u ce d b y s o a k in g , ip il- ip il leaves can be used in p ra w n d ie ts . A kg o f
s h rim p head m eal o r fis h costs m o re th a n t w o o r f o u r tim e s re s p e c tiv e ly t h a t o f ip il- ip il fo lia g e .
T h e re fo re , in c lu s io n o f ip il- ip il leaves in th e d ie t w o u ld re d u ce th e co st o f th e d ie ts c o n s id e ra b ly .
T h e o p tim u m a m o u n t o f leaves and p ro te in in th e d ie t is y e t t o be d e te rm in e d .

3
 T a b le 3 . P ro tein consum ed, excreted m ean pro tein intake per d ay and pro tein effic ie n c y ratio .

P ro te in P ro te in M ean
T re a tm e n t consum ed e x c re te d p ro te in PER4
8 w e eks & in fo o d in ta k e /d a y
(g) unconsumed mg)
(g)

1. P IL S 24.1 7 .7 2 8 .2 .0 4 d

2 . P IL U 1 9 .4 5 .7 2 3 .0 .0 6 b

3. L IL S 2 1 .3 6 .6 2 2 .3 .05c

4. L I L U - - - -

5. C IL 1 9 .8 5 .7 2 5 .8 .1 2a

6 . FS 2 0 .5 4 .3 2 5 .5 .0 6

1 D r y w e ig h t o f fo o d o ffe r e d X % p ro te in in th e d ie t.

D r y w e ig h t o f feces an d u n c o n s u m e d fo o d X % p ro te in in feces an d u n c o n s u m e d fo o d .
2

3 P ro te in assum ed a b s o rb e d = P ro te in o ffe re d — P ro te in e x c re te d an d u n c o n s u m e d fo o d .

P ro te in assum ed a b sorb ed

5 6 da ys
M ean p r o te in in ta k e
M ean N o . o f a n im a ls each d a y

W e ig h t gain W e ig h t gain
4 P E R = P ro te in e f fic ie n c y r a tio — =
P ro te in assum ed P ro te in c o n su m e d —
a b so rb e d p ro te in in e x c re te d
an d u n c o n s u m e d fe e d
L ite ra tu re C ited

D e s h im a ru , O sa m u an d S h ig e n o , K u n ih ik o . 1972. In t r o d u c t io n t o th e a r t if ic ia l d ie t f o r p ra w n
P e n a e u s ja p o n ic u s . A q u a c u ltu r e 1: p . 1 1 5 .

K akade, M adhusudan L. 1974. B io c h e m ic a l basis f o r th e d iffe re n c e s in p la n t p ro te in u t iliz a t io n .

J. A g r i. F o o d C h e m . 0 .2 2 N o . 4 .

K h a n n a p a , A u a y c h a i. 1977. T h e e ffe c t o f v a rio u s p r o te in levels o n g r o w th and s u rviva l rates

o f Penaeus m o n o d o n F a b ric iu s . Q u a rte r ly Research R e p o rt. J a n .—M a r. 1 9 7 7 . A q u a c u ltu re
D e p t., S o u th e a s t A s ia n F ish e rie s D e v e lo p m e n t C e n te r. I lo ilo , P h ilip p in e s . p . 2 4 .

N e w M ic h a e l. 1 9 7 6 . A re v ie w c f d ie ta r y s tu d ie s w it h s h rim p s and p ra w n s . A q u a c u ltu re 9 : p . 1 0 1 .

P a rre n o , C ris to b a l B . 1977. C o m b in a tio n s o f d rie d s h rim p head, rice b ra n an d so yb e a n cake

as p o s s ib le s u p p le m e n ta ry fe e d f o r Penaeus m o n o d o n F a b ric iu s . Research p a p e r s u b m itte d
to th e T r a in in g an d E x te n s io n D iv is io n . A q u a . D e p t. S E A F D E C in p a rtia l f u lf illm e n t o f
th e re q u ire m e n ts f o r th e R e g io n a l T r a in in g o n A q u a c u ltu r e R esearch. S E A F D E C , A q u a c u l­
t u r e D e p t., I lo ilo , P h ilip p in e s .