Search

A 60-day experiment was performed to assess the efficacy of dietary Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides (ASP) in attenuation of sub-lethal thallium (Tl) toxicity in Nile tilapia. Six experimental groups (in triplicates) were designed where a fish group was raised in clean water and fed basal diet and served as control (CONT), two groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.15% and 0.30% ASP (ASPL and ASPH), Tl-intoxicated group exposed to 1/10 of 96-h LC50 (= 41.9 μg/L), and two other groups were fed 0.15% and 0.30% ASP and concomitantly exposed to 41.9 μg Tl/L (ASPL-Tl and ASPH-Tl). At the end of the experiment, fish behavioral responses, clinical signs, survivability, growth, whole-body composition, intestinal digestive enzymes, serum biochemical parameters, hepatic antioxidative biomarkers, and transcription of stress and apoptosis genes were assessed. Results showed that the whole-body composition, intestinal α-amylase and protease enzymes, serum AST and blood urea levels, and hepatic GSH were not significantly different among groups (P 0.05). The Tl-intoxicated fish group was off food, had darkened skin, showed restlessness and hyperexcitability, and high mortalities. FBW, WG, SGR and FI were significantly decreased alongside increase FCR in the Tl-exposed group. Tl exposure caused significant increases (P 0.05) in intestinal lipase enzyme and serum indices such as ALT, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and cortisol levels. Moreover, a significant decreases in hepatic CAT and SOD enzyme activities and significant increases in hepatic MDA contents were also noticed (P 0.05). Furthermore, Tl exposure induced significant upregulation of hepatic HSP70 and apoptosis-related genes (p53 and caspase 3). Interestingly, dietary supplementation with ASP in ASPL-Tl and ASPH-Tl groups modulated the parameters mentioned above but still not reached the CONT values. Altogether, this study suggests that ASP could be beneficial in the modulation of sub-lethal Tl toxicity effects in Nile tilapia. Additionally, we can conclude that using natural feed supplements such as ASP in aquafeed might be necessary for maintaining the overall health performances of Nile tilapia.

Plant-derived additives are used to maintain the health and growth performance of livestock. The use of red pepper oil (RPO) has recently attracted considerable scientific interest mainly due to its potential benefits for animals and humans. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with RPO on growth performance, carcass measurements, antioxidant status and immunity of growing quails between 1 and 5 weeks of age. A total of 240 growing quails (1-week old) were distributed into 5 equal groups consisting of 48 birds (4 replicates of 12 birds each). The first group was fed a basal diet without RPO (0 g/kg diet), and the second, third, fourth and fifth groups received diets containing RPO (0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 g/kg diet, respectively). The experiment lasted for 5 weeks. At age of 5 weeks, quails were slaughtered for carcass examinations, microbiological analysis of intestine and to determine blood constituents. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Quails fed with 0.8 g RPO/kg diet showed 12.14%, 14.4% and 15% improvement in live BW, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio, respectively, compared with the control group. Quails that received diets with 1.2 g RPO consumed more feed than the others during the total period (1 to 5 weeks). Plasma globulin levels were significantly decreased (P = 0.0102), but albumin/globulin ratio was significantly increased (P = 0.0009) in birds fed diets containing RPO (0.4 and 1.2 g/kg) compared with those in the control group. Activity of liver enzymes in the plasma was nonsignificantly decreased in quails supplemented with 0.8 g RPO/kg diet compared with those in the control group. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione and catalase) in the group fed on diets supplemented with RPO (0.8 g/kg) were significantly higher than those in the control group. The inclusion of RPO (0.8 g/kg diet) in quail diets improved (P < 0.05) plasma lipid profile and also decreased pH of the caecal content (P = 0.0280) compared with those in the control group. The caecal bacterial population, Salmonella spp., coliform and Escherichia coli, were lowered (P < 0.05) in the groups treated with RPO (0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg) compared with those in the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RPO (0.8 g/kg) can enhance the performance and antioxidant indices and decrease intestinal pathogens and thus improve the health status of Japanese quail.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with some feed additives (potassium sorbate; Sor, hydrated sodium calcium almuniosilicate; Hsc and L-methionine; L-M) against aflatoxin B1 (AF) toxicity in rabbits. A total of 72 growing rabbits (5-week-old) were distributed into six equal groups (4 replicates with 3 rabbits each). The experimental groups are as follows: control group, AF group (supplemented with AF 0.3 mg/kg diet), AF + Sor group (AF 0.3 mg/kg diet + Sor 2 g/kg diet), AF + Hsc group (AF 0.3 mg/kg diet + Hsc 5 g/kg diet), AF + L-M group (AF 0.3 mg/kg diet + L-M 8 g/kg diet) and AF + Mix group (AF 0.3 mg/kg diet + 2 Sor + 5 Hsc + 8 L-M g/kg diet). Live body weight and weight gain at 13 weeks of age were significantly reduced by AF. Feed intake at 13 weeks of age was decreased in AF, AF + Hsc and AF + Mix compared to the control. AF, AF + Hsc and AF + Mix showed the lowest total antioxidant capacity compared to the control. The highest level of reactive oxygen species and 8-Hydroxy-2-desoxyguanosine was observed in AF group. Using of other supplements with AF increased immunoglobulinM than AF alone. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Sor, L-M, Hsc or their mixture was effective in reducing the adverse effects of AF on performance, antioxidant and immune status of rabbits with more better improvement obtained by Sor or L-M separately.

The current research aimed to reduce the effects of increasing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish stocking density (SD) as stress factor by using dietary commercial probiotic supplementation (biogen® or Bactocell®). The experimental Nile tilapia (mean weight of 4.00 g) were distributed by random into 18 hapa (1.5 X 2 X 2 m), representing to 6 treatments (3 replicates per treatment). In a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, fish were divided into two main groups. The first group was stocked at 100 fish/m3 and the second was stocked at 150 fish/m3. Each group was divided into 3 sub-groups; the 1st sub-group was fed on a diet without supplementation with commercial probiotics, the 2nd and 3rd sub-groups were fed on diet supplemented with 2 g Biogen and 0.5 g Bactocell/kg diet, respectively. The obtained results showed that all tested water quality measurements were suitable for rearing Nile tilapia fingerlings. With increasing fish stocking density, final body weight (FBW), daily weight gain (DWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and daily feed intake (DFI) of fish significantly (P

In a complete randomized design, Two hundred and ten fingerlings (weighing approximately 0.905±0.002 g all fish) were randomly distributed into 21 glass aquaria in 7 treatments (3 replicates per treatment). The first group was fed diet without any treatment (control), the second group was fed on diet supplemented with SeO2 (0.3 mg selenium/kg diet) in fish diets, the third group was fed on diet supplemented with organic selenium supplemented; Sel-Plex® (0.3 mg selenium/kg diet) in fish diets, the fourth group was fed the same diet and supplemented with zinc oxide (100 mg zinc/kg diet) in fish diets, the fifth group was fed on diet supplemented with EDTA zinc; C10H12N2O8ZnNa2; (100 mg zinc/kg diet) in fish diets, the sixth group was fed on diet supplemented with clay 30 g bentonite/kg feed (3%) and the seventh group was fed on diet supplemented with nano-clay 30 g nano bentonite/kg diet. There was no clear effect of dietary feed additives on the water quality in the all experimental groups. All water parameters were stable and within acceptable ranges. Fish groups fed diets supplemented with zinc oxide or selenium oxide recorded higher final live body weight and daily weight gain, then those fed diets supplemented with EDTA zinc, organic selenium and natural clay. Dietary feed additives reduced the mortality rate of fish. Fish group fed diet supplemented with EDTA zinc and nano-clay recorded the lower mortality rate. Fish groups fed diets supplemented with organic selenium and EDTA zinc recorded the best feed conversion ratio. No statistical differences were observed in fish body dry matter, crude protein, ether extract and ash as affected by dietary feed additives. Fish groups fed diets supplemented with EDTA zinc, selenium oxide, zinc oxide or organic selenium recorded the higher final margin and income from body gain. The best final margin was obtained in fish group fed diet supplemented with EDTA zinc.

The decline of cadmium pollution in fish farms is needed by any adequate method. The present study was designed to explore the effect of dietary cadmium contamination and its amelioration by using dietary clay, probiotic (Bactocell®), vitamin C, and vitamin E supplementation in Nile tilapia fish diet on growth rate, feed efficiency, blood components, and cadmium residues. Fish were separated into 15 groups, each group of fish was stocked into three aquaria and each contains 20 fishes. The fish of the first five groups were fed the basal diet, the second five groups were fed the basal diet contaminated with 25 mg cadmium/kg, and the third five groups were fed the same diet contaminated with 50 mg cadmium/kg. Within each dietary cadmium level, the first group was fed the diet without any supplementation, the second was fed the diet supplemented with natural clay (bentonite) at level 3%, the third group was fed the diet supplemented with 1 g Bactocell®/kg, the fourth group was fed the diet supplemented 50 mg vitamin E/kg, and the fifth group was fed the diet supplemented with 100 mg vitamin C/kg. Live body weight, daily body weight gain, and feed intake of Nile tilapia decreased significantly (P

An 84-day feeding trial was performed to investigate the effects of dietary curcumin (CUR) supplementation on growth performance, feed utilization, immunity, antioxidant response, and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in Oreochromis niloticus . Three hundred tilapia fish (average initial weight; 2.55 ± 0.003 g) were fed five diets supplemented with 0 (basal diet), 50, 100, 150 or 200 mg CUR kg − 1 diet. Herein, a concentration-dependent inhibition of both A. hydrophila and A. sobria following in vitro CUR treatment was evident. The in vivo results revealed that CUR supplementation at different levels, especially at 50 mg kg − 1 diet, evoked significantly higher final weight, daily weight gain, and specific growth rate in tilapia. Also, CUR100 and CUR150 fish groups had the best feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios. Also, a significant increase in both crude lipid and protein content of the whole body was recorded in fish fed 50 or 100 mg CUR kg − 1 diet. A significant increase of both catalase activity and reduced glutathione content with a significant incline in the MDA level were recorded with dietary CUR supplementation. Lysozyme activity, total IgG and IgM levels significantly increased, especially in fish fed the 50 mg CUR kg − 1 diet. A concentration-dependent decline in the total bacteria, Coliforms, Escherichia coli and Aeromonas spp. counts was recorded in water samples and intestinal content of tilapia with CUR addition. High survival rate was obvious in all CUR supplemented groups after challenge with A . hydrophila . It is concluded that CUR could be a candidate dietary supplement in fish improving growth performance, feed utilization, oxidative status, immune responses, and disease resistance.

This study was performed to determine the effect of different fish stocking densities (10 and 20 fish/aquarium) and garlic, Allium sativum level (0, 10 and 20 g/kg diet) as feed additive on the growth performance, body composition and health of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus juveniles. The experimental fish with initial weight of about 5.06 g was fed diets contained about 30% crude protein and 429 kcal/kg diet as gross energy. The preferable increase of final weight, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, survival rate and feed utilization were obtained by garlic supplementation at 20g/kg diet. Survival rate was not influenced by fish stocking density. The higher body composition as crude protein with moderate ether extract were observed with low density rate of rearing fish fed diets supplemented with 10 g/kg diet of garlic. Heamatological indices explained no hazard effects of both of stocking rate and garlic supplementation on health and liver activity of experimental fish. In general, there were slight differences among both of stocking densities on growth performance, body composition and blood parameters of Nile tilapia juveniles especially with a garlic supplementation. So, it could be concluded that garlic, Allium sativum may be used to enhance the health and growth performance with high stocking rate of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fish.

The present trial was conducted to evaluate the beneficial role of some feed additives (potassium sorbate; Sor, hydrated sodium calcium almuniosilicate; Hsc and l-methionine; L-M) in attenuating the hepatic and renal toxicity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in rabbits. A total number of 72 NZW growing rabbits (5 week-old) were divided into six experimental groups (four replicates with three rabbits each) as follows: control group, AFB1 group (supplemented with AFB1 0.3 mg/kg diet), AFB1 + Sor group (AFB1 0.3 mg/kg diet + Sor 2 g/kg diet), AFB1 + Hsc group (AFB1 0.3 mg/kg diet + Hsc 5 g/kg diet), AFB1 + L-M group (AFB1 0.3 mg/kg diet + L-M 8 g/kg diet) and AFB1 + Mix group (AFB1 0.3 mg/kg diet + 2 Sor + 5 Hsc + 8 L-M g/kg diet). Serum levels of total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly reduced by AF. AF increased the serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzymes. While, they were reduced in AF + Sor and AF + Mix groups compared with AF group. AF increased the level of cystatin C and Beta-2 microglobulin (BMG). All other supplements significantly reduced the level of cystatin C than AF; however, this reduction was more pronounced in AF-L-M group. AF + Sor, AF + L-M and AF + Mix equally reduced the BMG level than AF and AF + HSc, however, still higher than control. AF elevated the total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-cholesterol levels. A significant reduction in HDL cholesterol was seen in AF group. Additionally, AF induced pathological alterations in the liver and kidney of exposed rabbits on the other hands, the three additives separately or in mix attenuated the Af-induced alterations. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of Sor, L-M, Hsc or their mixture was effective in ameliorating the negative effects of AFB1 on liver and kidney function and structure in rabbits with more better improvement obtained by Sor or L-M separately.

The present study was conducted to investigate the toxic effect of abamectin (ABM) and to evaluate the modulatory role of heat treated jojoba leaves extract (JLE) as feed additive in Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus) fish. 300 Nile tilapia fingerlings were randomly distributed in to 5 equal groups (4 replicates each). The first group (control) was fed on basal diet. The second group (ABM) was fed on basal diet and exposed to 1/10 of the 96 h LC50 of ABM (20.73 μg/L). The third (ABM + JLE0.5), the fourth (ABM + JLE1) and the fifth (ABM + JLE2) groups were exposed to ABM and fed on diet supplemented with 0.5, 1 and 2 g JLE/kg, respectively. ABM altered the water quality parameters by increasing the total ammonia and reducing the dissolved oxygen while JLE reversed these effects. Apart from feed conversion, ABM decreased the growth parameters of exposed fish when compared to control. These values were modulated in JLE exposed groups in a concentration dependent manner. ABM increased ALT and AST levels while JLE1 and JLE0.5 restored their levels to the control values, respectively. ABM altered the lipid profile of exposed fish while JLE2 restored total cholesterol to normal value. Reduced glutathione content was decreased by ABM and was restored to normal by JLE2. The highest level of lipid peroxidation (MDA) was recorded in ABM and ABM + JLE0.5 groups while JLE1 and JLE2 decreased the MDA level. The total antioxidant capacity was decreased by ABM while the highest value was recoded in both control and JLE0.5 groups. The level of IgG, IgA and C3 were decreased by ABM while its level was restored to normal by using JLE. Exposure of fish to ABM resulted in a significant increase in the nitric oxide level. ABM group had lower moisture and higher crude lipids in the whole-fish body than the supplemented groups. It could be concluded that dietary supplementation of JLE can positively attenuate the toxic effects of ABM on growth, immunity, physiological and antioxidant parameters thereby improving the general health condition and decreasing the mortality of O. niloticus. Additionally, the heat treatment attempted on the leaves could be considered as an eco-friendly method for detoxification.

The current study was conducted to investigate the stress effect of high stocking density and to evaluate the efficiency of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract (LE) and protexin concentrate (PC) in Oreochromis niloticus. A total of 360 Nile tilapia fingerlings were divided into 5 groups. The 1st and the 2nd groups were stocked at a rate of 10 fish/aquarium (control) and 20 fish/aquarium (HSD), respectively. The 3rd group (20 fish/aquarium fed on basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg protexin) (HSD + PC). The 4th group (20 fish/aquarium fed on basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg LE) (HSD + LE). The 5th group (20 fish/aquarium fed on basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg PC+ 500 mg/kg LE) (HSD + PC + LE). HSD group had the lowest body weight, specific growth rate and feed intake. After the Aeromonas hydrophila challenge, fishes from HSD recorded the highest mortality, while the opposite occurred in supplemented groups. It could be concluded that supplementation of LE, PC separately or in combination can positively attenuate the undesirable effects of HSD on growth, antioxidant, immunity and bacterial disease resistance of fish.

The aim of this study was to evaluate Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae singly and in combination as probiotic supplements in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerling diets. All the probiotic-supplemented diets resulted in growth higher than the control. Best growth rate, food consumption, and food conversion (P < 0.05) were in the group fed a cocktail of the three bacteria. Feed cost, return on weight gain, and profit margin increased in fish groups fed diets inoculated with probiotics. Supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifiduim, and the three-bacteria cocktail were most effective in eliminating mortality in an A. hydrophila challenge.