Impacts of Date Palm Seeds (Phoenix dactyliferous L.) on Growth Indices and Nutrient Utilization of Common Carp Cyprinus carpio L.

Abstract

This study was carried out to study the effect of adding different levels of date palm seed (Phoentix dactyliferous) powder in the diet of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) at fish laboratory of Animal Production Department, College of Agricultural Sciences, Sulaimani University, Sulaimani, Iraq. The actual experimental feeding trials were conducted for 70 d and the adaptation period for 21 d. A total of 81 common carp fingerlings weighted 62 ± 2 g were divided into three experimental groups. The control treatment T1 was with 0 g date palm seed, T2 with 2.5 g date palm seed per kg diet and T3 with 5 g date palm seed per kg diet. Each treatment was in three replicates in which three common carp fingerlings were stocked in each aquarium which fed the experimental diets twice daily. The results indicated that weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) in the third treatment (T3) group were significantly higher than those of fish fed control diets. T2 consumed more diet than other treatments with 306.940 g with higher feed conversion ratio (FCR); T3 was higher significantly in food efficiency. No significant (P < 0.05) differences obtained from consumed protein while the protein efficiency ratio was significantly higher in T3 with 319.323. Control was higher significantly in flesh weight without viscera with the third treatment; in flesh weight without head and viscera each the control and the second treatment was significantly higher than the third treatment. As a conclusion, the date palm seeds powder have a positive effect on growth performance of common carp.