Abstract
This study is aimed to assess the effects of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) supplementation on growth performance, some hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters, and disease resistance against Yersinia ruckeri in cultured rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792). 240 fish in total were randomly assigned into four triplicate groups (20 fish/per aquarium) corresponding to four dietary treatments: control (PSO0; no addition of PSO), 0.5% (PSO5), 1.00% (PSO10), and 2.00% (PSO20) of PSO, respectively. After the 60 day-feeding trial, fish blood samples were collected and compared. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) showed a significant (P < 0.05) effect of PSO on red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase parameters in PSO5 and PSO10 with regard to control. Moreover, a pronounced (P < 0.05) increased in weight gain, growth and feed conversion was found in fish fed with PSO supplemented diets. After the feeding trial, fish were challenged with Y. ruckeri and survival recorded for 20 days. Cumulative survival was 45.10% in fish fed with the control diet, whereas in fish fed with PSO5, PSO10, and PSO20 supplemented diets, survival was 58.82, 56.86, and 56.86%, respectively. In conclusion, dietary administration of PSO induced a reduction in mortality of rainbow trout infected with Y. ruckeri, intercalary significant differences occurred on growth performance and some blood values among treated groups. These positive effects of PSO could be considered for new applications in aquaculture.
Highlights
In aquaculture diseases such as bacterial and viral infections are controlled using antibiotics and other chemotherapeutics that promote the growth performance (Sasmal et al, 2005), and ensure the animal welfare, but some of these substances have deleterious effect on animals, fish, and humans
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis results showed that the major components of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) were Squalene (45.09%), - Tocopherol (37.01%), and ethyl linoleate (5.29%)
The results of the present study demonstrated that PSO addition up to 10 g/kg in the diets barely affected the rainbow trout growth performance
Summary
In aquaculture diseases such as bacterial and viral infections are controlled using antibiotics and other chemotherapeutics that promote the growth performance (Sasmal et al, 2005), and ensure the animal welfare, but some of these substances have deleterious effect on animals, fish, and humans. Some natural plant origin products like vegetables, herbs, spices, edible plants, and their extracts are not explained as traditional feed additives for animal nutrition. This plant derivates that act as growth promoters, immunostimulants or antimicrobial agents, represents viable and alternative to the use of antibiotics and other chemotherapeutics which are not harmful for environment and which have fewer side effect chemical drugs (Galindo-Villegas and Hosokawa, 2004). Johnson and Banerji (2007) showed that herbal extract as an additive promotes hematological and biochemical performance, enhances the fish growth, and protects from the diseases. Studies related to pomegranate application in fish are scanty
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