Effects of Some Dietary Additives on Growth Performance and Feed Efficiency of Young Common Carp Cyprinus carpio

Abstract

Effects of adding three dietary additives and their mixture to control diet (38% protein) on the growth performance and feed efficiency of young common carp Cyprinus carpio with an average weight of 16.16+0.09 g were assessed. These additives were probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast) (T1), amino acids (lysine and methionine) (T2), a mixture of exogenous enzymes (protease, cellulase, α-amylase, amyloglucosidase, pectinase, beta-glucanase, xylanase, phytase, lipase and beta mannanase) (T3), their mixture (T4) and control (T5). Inclusion of probiotic and exogenous enzymes showed significant (P<0.05) improvement in the growth performance and feed efficiency of the fishes compared with control and other additive diets. Otherwise, the inclusion of amino acids and the additive mixture did not show any significant (P>0.05) improvement compared with the control diet. Probiotic diet (T1) recorded greatest specific growth rate SGR (0.68%/day) and best feed conversion ratio FCR (2.84), followed by exogenous enzymes diet (0.57%/day and 3.44, respectively), while the SGR and FCR values for T2, T4 and control were decreased significantly (P<0.05). Probiotic and enzymes feed additives have proved significant enhancement of fish growth and feed efficiency.