Effect of Dietary Polyherbal Mixture on Growth Performance, Haemato-Immunological Indices, Antioxidant Responses, and Intestinal Morphometry of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus
Femi J. Fawole, Rihanat O. Yisa, Oluwole O. Jayeoba, İbrahim Adeshına, Akeem Olayiwola Ahmed, Benjamin Obukowho Emikpe
Abstract
A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the dietary effect of Nigeria polyherbal mixture (PHB) on growth, haemato-immune parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, and intestinal morphometry of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Four diets were formulated with PHB powder at inclusion of 0 g/kg (control), 0.5 g/kg (PHB 0.5), 1.0 g/kg (PHB 1.0), and 2.0 g/kg (PHB 2.0) and fed to African catfish ( <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"> <a:mn>6.32</a:mn> <a:mo>±</a:mo> <a:mn>0.02</a:mn> <a:mtext> </a:mtext> <a:mtext>g</a:mtext> </a:math> /fish, 15 fish/50 L tank) in triplicates. Fish fed PHB 2.0 recorded higher final weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate ( <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"> <c:mi>p</c:mi> <c:mo><</c:mo> <c:mn>0.05</c:mn> </c:math> ) compared to the control. There were no statistical differences ( <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"> <e:mi>p</e:mi> <e:mo>></e:mo> <e:mn>0.05</e:mn> </e:math> ) in feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio among the dietary groups. The haematological profile indicates that the fish fed PHB-1.0 had higher Hb, RBCs count, and Hct, and blood performance ( <g:math xmlns:g="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"> <g:mi>p</g:mi> <g:mo><</g:mo> <g:mn>0.05</g:mn> </g:math> ) compared to the control. ALT levels were found higher in the control and the lowest values recorded in PHB groups ( <i:math xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"> <i:mi>p</i:mi> <i:mo><</i:mo> <i:mn>0.05</i:mn> </i:math> ); however, AST did not differ significantly among the groups ( <k:math xmlns:k="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"> <k:mi>p</k:mi> <k:mo>></k:mo> <k:mn>0.05</k:mn> </k:math> ). The highest heterophil counts and respiratory burst activity were recorded in PHB-1.0 and PHB-0.5 and PHB-2.0, respectively, while a numerically improved total immunoglobulin value was recorded in PHB-0.5 compared to the control ( <m:math xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7"> <m:mi>p</m:mi> <m:mo>></m:mo> <m:mn>0.05</m:mn> </m:math> ). Antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase had a significant improvement in fish fed PHB-based diet compared to the control ( <o:math xmlns:o="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8"> <o:mi>p</o:mi> <o:mo><</o:mo> <o:mn>0.05</o:mn> </o:math> ), while glutathione peroxidase showed no statistical differences between the groups ( <q:math xmlns:q="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9"> <q:mi>p</q:mi> <q:mo>></q:mo> <q:mn>0.05</q:mn> </q:math> ). Intestinal morphometric measurements showed that the fish fed PHB-1.0 had the highest villus height, area of absorption, and villus height/cryptal depth ratio compared to the control. Muscle thickness increased ( <s:math xmlns:s="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10"> <s:mi>p</s:mi> <s:mo><</s:mo> <s:mn>0.05</s:mn> </s:math> ) with increasing PHB level with the highest value recorded PHB-2.0. In conclusion, dietary PHB could improve growth, blood profile, immunity, antioxidant enzyme capacity, and intestinal morphometry of African catfish without any significant alteration in the liver function enzymes.