- International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology (2014) Volume 2, Issue 2

Growth Promotion and Survival Enhancement of The Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium Rosenbergii Post Larvae Fed with Allium Sativum, Zingiber Officinale and Curcuma Longa

Post Larvae (P.L.) of M. rosenbergii were fed with ten individually formulated diets using A. sativum (A.S.), Z. officinale (Z.O.) and C. longa (C.L.) at three concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) separately, for a trial of 90 days. Each diet contained an herb supplemented at any one of the given concentration. Diet without any of the above mentioned herbs served as control. At the end of the trial, analyses were done on growth, survival rate, feed quality, nutritional, biochemical and energy utilization indices. 5% Z.O. offered P < 0.046 level of increase in weight gain (WG) and daily growth rate (DGR), P < 0.080 level of increase in total proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamin-E, P < 0.638 level of increase in feed quality indices such as digestibility (D) %, gross feed conversion ratio (GFCR) %, net feed conversion ratio (NFCR) %, feed efficiency (FE) and P < 0.854 level of increase in nutritional indices such as protein intake (PI), amino acid intake (AI), carbohydrate intake (CI), lipid intake (LI), protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein conversion ratio (PCR), protein assimilation rate (PAR) and protein productive value (PPV) was also obtained with 5% Z.O. 5% C.L. increased the survival rate (SR) at P < 0.049 and also the tissue levels of vitamin-C, iron, sodium and potassium at P < 0.129. 5% A.S. increased the tissue level of phosphorus at P < 0.082. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found to be higher at P < 0.341 level in the group fed with control diet. P < 0.084 level of increase in rate of feeding, absorption, conversion and ammonia excretion of the prawns was obtained with 5% Z.O. The diets were analyzed for minerals and non-enzymatic antioxidants. P < 0.240 level of increase in vitamin-C, flavanoids, iron, sodium and potassium were recorded in 5% C.L. and P < 0.089 level of increase in vitamin-E was recorded in 5% Z.O., also P < 0.530 level of increase in phosphorus was recorded in 5% A.S. Increased feed intake and a better quality of the feed has resulted in better nutritional status of the diet-fed animals. Z.O. improved feed intake and promoted the growth. C.L. served as a good source of non-enzymatic antioxidants and enhanced the survival of the freshwater prawns. Therefore, it is suggested that these herbs can be used as cheap and safer alternatives against synthetic hormones and antibiotics for its growth and survival.

Author(s): A. Anne Rebecca,P. Saravana Bhavan

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