title: Enhancing growth and non-specific immunity of grass carp and Nile tilapia by incorporating Chinese herbs (Astragalus membranaceus and Lycium barbarum) into food waste based pellets.
abstract: The effects of Astragalus membranaceus and Lycium barbarum on the growth performance and non-specific immunity of grass carp and Nile tilapia were studied. Herb extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs (2 g kg-1or 20 g kg-1) were incorporated into food waste based fish feed pellets. Fish growth and selected non-specific immune parameters of grass carp and Nile tilapia were studied in two separate feeding trials. Both grass carp and Nile tilapia fed diets of feed pellets containing 2 g kg-1Lycium barbarum extract achieved the best relative weight gain, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio among all experimental diets. Fish fed with diets containing 2 g kg-1Lycium barbarum also resulted in significantly higher total immunoglobin, bactericidal activity and anti-protease activity; and also a lower mortality when challenged with pathogenic bacteria. On the other hand, both fish species fed with diets containing 20 g kg-1of Astragalus membranaceus and 20 g kg-1Lycium barbarum, resulted in significantly impaired weight gain. In addition, incorporation of 2 g kg-1Lycium barbarum extract would be a more suitable dose for both fish species, in terms of achieving better feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate, protein digestibility, and improved non-specific immune parameters. Based on this study, it can be concluded that waste based feed pellets incorporated with Chinese medicinal herb extracts have the ability to enhance growth and immunity of fish. Therefore, the use of Chinese medicinal herbs in aquaculture should be encouraged, in order to replace certain antibiotics known to impose environmental and health effects through the discharge of aquaculture effluents.
authors.affiliation: Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wing Yin
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.affiliation: Coastal Marine Laboratory, Department of Biology, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Clare Hau In
authors.initials: CHI
authors.lastname: Lun
authors.affiliation: Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wai Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Yu Bon
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Man
authors.affiliation: Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China; School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: minghwong@ied.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Ming Hung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002347:Carps / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D002681:China; D023681:Cichlids / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D004032:Diet; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005398:Fisheries; D005502:Food; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Antimicrobial agents; Chinese medicinal herbs; Food waste based pellets; Growth promotors