11. Effect of Azadirachta indica supplemented feed on growth performance of Labeo rohita
Abstract
Effect of neem (Azadirachta indica) on the growth of Rohu (Labeo rohita) was investigated under lab conditions in the Department of Zoology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Experiment was performed for twelve-fortnights with three replicates. Fingerlings of L. rohita were acclimatized for one week in glass aquarium at reference diet before initiating the trial. T1 reference diet was administered to control group of fish without neem supplement but treated fish groups T2, T3 and T4 were administered with 5, 10 and 15g/1000g test neem supplemented diet respectively. Growth parameters including total body weight, total body length, fork length, feed conversion ratio and specific growth concentration was calculated. Statistical analysis of growth parameters revealed that 15g/1000g neem test diet showed highly significant (p<0.01) gain in body weight (11g), total body length (9.7cm), fork length (3.6cm) and specific growth concentrations (0.43) of L. rohita as compared to other diet groups but at 5g/1000g test diet of neem showed maximum (2.75) mean value of feed conversion ratio. Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a naturally occurring medicinal herb having a lot of bioactive and biosafety compound that acts as growth enhancer, appetite stimulator and immunomodulator against infectious pathogens. The impact of current study is that higher concentration of neem supplemented feed effectively leads to higher growth of fish’s body parameters such as total body weight, total body length, fork length as well as feed conversion ratio.
Keywords: Feed conversion ratio; Fork length; Specific growth concentrations; Supplemented diet; Total body weight
