title: Effects of a prebiotic, Immunogen®, on feed utilization, body composition, immunity and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila infection in the common carp Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus) fingerlings.
abstract: This study evaluated the effects of a commercial prebiotic, Immunogen, on feed utilization, growth rate, immunity promotion and carcass composition of the common carp Cyprinus carpio fingerlings. The fingerlings were adopted for 2 weeks and then reared in triplicate groups in 250-l tanks (n = 15 per tank with average initial weights of 11.12 ± 0.55 g). The fish fed on five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic experimental diets containing different levels of Immunogen (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2.5 g prebiotic/kg diet) to apparent satiation thrice a day for 8 weeks. Weight gain showed no differences among the groups fed different Immunogen levels. Both feed efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing Immunogen levels from 0.5 to 1.5 g/kg diet. The highest protein content (p < 0.05) was found in the fish fed a diet containing 2.5 g/kg prebiotic. Haematological parameters and plasma total protein concentration were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the fingerlings fed diets containing 1.5 and 2.5 g/kg prebiotic in relation to the control. The control fish contained the highest mean of total bacterial counts. The lowest mean (p < 0.05) of total bacterial counts was observed in the fish fed the diet containing 2.5 g/kg Immunogen. The present study reveals that a dietary Immunogen supplementation from 1 to 1.5 g/kg is capable to improve the feed efficiency and growth performance of C. carpio fingerlings as well as their resistance to A. hydrophila infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran. Ebrahimi.ghafar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ouraji
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Khalesi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sudagar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarei Dangesaraki
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jani Khalili
mesh_terms: D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D002347:Carps; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D056692:Prebiotics
chemical_list: D056692:Prebiotics