Dietary impact of Alfalfa on growth performance, biochemical profile, and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in fingerlings of common carp

• Published in: Fisheries science 2024-05, Vol.90 (3), p.453-465
• Main Authors: Ali, Basharat, Rawal, Yogesh Kumar, Dhillon, Oshin, Thayes, Chhomo, Sidharth, Mittal, Gagan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aeromonas hydrophila; Alfalfa; antioxidants; Aquaculture; Bacterial diseases; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; blood; carcass composition; Carcasses; Carp; Conversion ratio; Cyprinus carpio; Diet; Digestive enzymes; Disease resistance; dose response; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Feed conversion; Feeding experiments; Fingerlings; Fish; Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management; Food conversion; Food Science; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Freshwater fishes; growth performance; Growth rate; Histomorphometry; Intestine; intestines; Juveniles; Life Sciences; Medicago sativa; Original Article; Polyculture (aquaculture); protein efficiency ratio; Proteins; specific growth rate; Sustainable aquaculture
• ISSN: 0919-9268; 1444-2906
• DOI: 10.1007/s12562-024-01757-2

The present study investigates the effects of dietary alfalfa, Medicago sativa leaves, on growth performance, carcass composition, enzymatic activity, biochemical indices, intestinal histomorphometry, and disease resistance in fingerlings of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. A feeding trial of 60 days was carried out in which common carp fingerlings were fed on experimental diets supplemented with alfalfa extract at rates of 0.0% (T 0 ) control, 0.25% (T 1 ), 0.50% (T 2 ), 0.75% (T 3 ), and 1.0% (T 4 ). At the end of the feeding trial, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, and feed conversion ratio improved significantly ( P