Effect of Phyto-Additive Allium Sativum in Feed on Survival Rate and Growth Performance of Post-Juvenile Clarias Gariepinus

Abstract

The study on the effect of the incorporation of Allium sativum in feed on the survival rate and growth characteristics of postjuveniles of Clarias gariepinus, was carried out over 150 days at the Massoma fish farm located in the Douala 4th Subdivision, Cameroon (04° 03’- 04° 07’ LN and 09° 37’- 09° 41’ LE). The objective was to contribute to a better intensive production of Clarias gariepinus using feed additive. For this purpose, 750 post juveniles of C. gariepinus (375 males and 375 females) with a mean initial weight of 80 ± 1g and a mean total length of 22.51 ± 1.33 cm were divided into five batches, each representing a treatment and corresponding to a ration which was repeated 3 times. The rations noted R0 ; R3,5 ; R4 ; R4,5 and R5 respectively corresponded to incorporation rates of 0; 3.5; 4; 4.5 and 5% of Allium sativum in the feed. Fish were fed twice a day at 3% of the ichthyo biomass and readjusted each month after the control fishery. Following the latter, growth characteristics were also recorded each month. The results obtained were as follows: the survival rate varied from 72.00 ± 3.06 to 89.33 ± 3.79% with the highest value significantly (p<0.05) with the ration incorporated with 4.5% A. sativum. Regarding growth characteristics, they were significantly (p<0.05) affected by the incorporation rate of A. sativum. The highest average food consumption (793.55 ± 67.92g) was recorded with R5 and the lowest (603.74 ± 38.92g) with the R0 ration. The highest total length (43.42 cm) was obtained in males from the R5 treatment and the lowest (39.56 cm) with females fed with 0% A. sativum. The highest weight gain (715.60 ± 87.80g), mean daily gain (4.77 ± 0.59g) and specific growth rate (1.52 ± 0.07% g / d) were recorded in males with the R5 ration and the lowest in females fed with R0 . The highest K factor (0.97) was obtained in females of R3.5 and in both sexes of R4.5. The highest protein efficiency coefficient (1.92 ± 0.09) was observed in males from the R5 treatment and the most reliable (1.60 ± 0.20) with females from R0 . The lowest consumption index (1.18 ± 0.08) was recorded with the R5 ration and the highest (1.37 ± 0.17) with the R0 ration. This study reveals that the incorporation rate of 5% of A. sativum in the food of post juveniles of C. gariepinus is better on the survival rate and growth.