Effects of dietary leaves extracts of bitter (Vernonia amygdalina ) and pawpaw (Carica papaya ) on the growth, feed conversion efficiency and disease resistance on juveniles Clarias gariepinus

Abstract

The study assessed the effects of Pawpaw Leaves (PL) and Bitter Leaves (BL) extracts and Chloramphenicol (CHRL) on the growth, feed conversion efficiency and disease resistance of Clarias gariepinus juveniles against infection with Aeromonas hydrophila. Clarias gariepinus juveniles were fed with diets composed of control (0%), BL2 (1%), BL3 (2%), PL4 (1%), PL5 (2%), CHRL6 (15 mg/kg diet), BL + PL7 (2%), BL + CHRL8 (2%), PL + CHRL9 (2%), BL + PL + CHRL10 (3%) at 3% body weight, with 15 fish per replicate were carried out for 4 weeks. Mean Weight Gain (MWG) and Specific Growth Rate (SGR) were measured. Also, packed cell volume, white blood cell, red blood cell, total protein, globulin and Albumin were determined using standard methods. Clarias gariepinus juveniles were inoculated with A. hydrophila at 6.33 log10 CFU/ml intraperitoneally and fed with different diets to assess the percentage mortality and their relative percent survival (RPS). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at p = .05. Fish from treated groups had higher growth rate than the control. The results indicated that fish fed with treated diets showed increase in haematological indices and plasma biochemical (p < .05) compared to control. The challenge infection showed an improvement from treated groups compared to control. The result suggested that PL and BL extracts at 2% inclusion and combination of both plants and chloramphenicol (BL + PL + CHRL) for 4 weeks would positively enhanced growth, haematology, plasma biochemistry and make C. gariepinus juveniles more resistance to A. hydrophila infection.