Effect of different dietary protein sources on hematological parameters of striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim to evaluate performance of different protein source on growth, survival and hematological parameters in striped catfish P. hypophthalmus. The experiment was conducted at College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, during July- October, 2017 for a duration of 120 days in indoor glass aquaria (60× 30 ×30cm) maintaining stocking density of 8 no of P. hypophthalmus fingerling (9.80±0.08 cm and 11.0±0.06 g) in each aquaria. Four iso-proteinous (≈ 32% crude protein) experimental diets (D1 – D4) were prepared containing poultry waste (D1), fish meal (D2), fish silage (D3) and soybean (D4) as major protein source in diets in four treatments T1- T4, respectively. No significant differences were observed in water quality parameters among different treatments fed with different sources of protein. Maximum net weight gain was recorded in T4 (19.329 g) followed by T2 (16.154 g), T3 (14.583 g) and T1 (11.937 g), respectively indicating diet containing soybean meal as major protein source gained highest weight in P. hypophthalmus. Hemoglobin value ranged 5.8-7.1g dL-1 while erythrocyte count 1.44-2.75 mill cu.mm-1, PCV 16.4-33.4%, MCV 113.9-123.0 fL, MCH 24.7-32.6 pg, MCHC 20.6-28.7 g dL-1 recorded in fish blood. Among leukocytes, range of count for neutrophils 60.2-84.7%, lymphocytes 8.2-25.5%, monocytes 0.8-4.0% and eosinophils 0.0 – 22.3% recorded in fish blood, fed with different diets. P. hypophthalmus appeared to exhibit a better response towards survival, growth and acquired immunity of fish when fed with soybean rich diet as compared to fish silage, poultry slaughter waste and fish meal.