Agricultural Science and Technology (Mar 2018)
Effect of nutmeg extract supplementation on some productive traits and economic efficiency of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) cultivated in recirculation system
Abstract
Abstract. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a dietary nutmeg extract supplement on the survival rate, growth performance, feed conversion ratio and economic efficiency of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) reared in a recirculation system. Thirty-two carps were allotted into two experimental variants, each of them comprising two replications with 8 fish in a group. The average initial live weight of carps from the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG) was 866.56±113.99g and 868.50±111.18g, respectively (P>0.05). Fish were reared in concrete tanks with efficient volume of 0.8m3, elements of the recirculation system. They were fed pelleted carp feed with 25% crude protein produced by “Top mix” company, with pellet size of 6mm. The feed of fish from the EG was supplemented with 1% powdered nutmeg extract after lubricating the pellets with 5ml sunflower oil per 100g feed. Control carps received the same amount of sunflower oil-lubricated feed. The daily ration of fish from both replications was 1.8% of their live weight. The experiment duration was 45 days. The initial and final live weights were determined by individual weighing. By the end of the experiment, there was a tendency towards statistically insignificant higher average live weight in fish supplemented with 1% nutmeg extract – 986.44±125.91g vs 964.94±92.04g in non-supplemented controls (P>0.05). The survival rate of carps from both control and experimental group replications was 100%. The average individual weight gain of carps from the two EG replications (supplemented with 1% nutmeg extract) was 117.94±31.24g which was higher than that of controls by 16.58% but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). At the end of the trial, the analysis of consumed feed amount showed that feed conversion ratio in the group supplemented with 1% nutmeg extract was 3.05±0.78, i.e. by 23.28% lower than that of control carps (P>0.05). The group that received 1% nutmeg extract exhibited better economic conversion ratio (2.71), by 4.06% lower than that of the non-supplemented group.
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