EFFECT OF PROBIOTICS, PREBIOTICS AND THEIR COMBINATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE; LIVER FUNCTION AND HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETER OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus)
1Soltan, M.A.; 1A.I. El-Sayed; 2M.S. Hassaan;
3A.M. Amaar and 3M.A. El-Erian
1Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University.
2National institute of Oceanography and fisheries (NIOF), Cairo, Egypt.
3Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research, Abbassa, Abou-Hammad, Sharkia, Egypt.
Abstract
A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary probiotic, prebiotic and their combination on growth, feed utilization, liver function and hematological parameter of Nile tilapia O. niloticus..Four isonitrogenous (297 g CP kg-1) and isocaloric (19.7 MJ gross energy kg-1) diets were formulated. The first diet (D1) without feed additive (control), the other three diets were supplemented with 15 g kg-1 Pro-Pac as probiotic (D2), 15 g kg-1 of Imo-Zin as prebiotic or a combined of 7.5 g Pro-Pac +7.5 g Imo-Zin /kg diet (D4). Fingerlings averaged 3.17±0.05g were randomly distributed into 12 fiberglass tanks (200 liter) and each tank holding 20 fish and randomly assigned to one of three replicates of the diets and offered feed to apparent satiation twice daily at 09:00 am and 3:00 pm.
After 12 weeks, fish fed the diets supplemented with probiotic (D2), probiotic (D3) or their combination (D4) showed the highest significant body weight (BW), body length (BL), weight gain (WG) specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein productive value (PPV) and survival rate than those fed the control diet. In the same trend, the highest red blood cells count (RBCs), Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrite (Htc), globulin and total protein were recorded for fish fed the diet supplemented with probiotic, prebiotic or their combination compared with control group (D1). On the other hand, fish fed the diet supplemented with probiotic, prebiotic or symbiotic recorded the lowest (P<0.001) serum transaminase enzymes (alanine transaminase, ALT and aspartate transaminase, AST). The highest significant (P<0.05) protein and the lowest ether extract content of the whole fish body were recorded for fish group fed the diet supplemented with probiotic (D2) while control group showed the opposite trend. Ash content did not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the two feed additives Pro-Pac or Im-Zin in D2, D3 or D4.
Key words: Nile tilapia, probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotic.
