Effects of dietary supplementation of Parkia biglobosa pulp on growth performance and physiological status of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings

Abstract

Abstract Background The present study investigated the effect of dietary Parkia biglobosa pulp (PBP) on the growth performance and blood profile of mixed sex Clarias gariepinus. The PBP meal was supplemented with the basal diets at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0% and fed to C. gariepinus fingerlings for 12 weeks. Results Supplementing the diets of C. gariepinus with 1.0–2.0% PBP enhanced (P 0.05) from those fed the control diet while the lymphocyte counts was boosted (P < 0.05) with dietary PBP. Dietary supplementation with 1.0–2.0% PBP enhanced (P < 0.05) synthesis of total protein and albumin in the experimental fish while all fish fed PBP-supplemented diets had lower (P < 0.05) levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Conclusions The present study showed that 1.0–2.0% PBP enhanced growth and nutrient utilization, lymphocytes, serum albumin and total protein and reduced serum liver enzymes, indicating the growth-promoting, immunostimulating and hepatoprotective effects of PBP in C. gariepinus Therefore, supplementation of PBP meal as feed additive in the basal diet of Clarias gariepinus at 2.0% is recommended.

Keywords

• African catfish fingerlings
• Parkia biglobosa pulp
• Fish growth
• Haematology
• Serum biochemical parameters