Effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa) root powder supplementation in diets fed to the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus burchell, 1822)

Abstract

two-month study was conducted to investigate the effect of turmeric root on the haematology, growth performance and feed utilization of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). A total of one hundred and fifty (150) four week old C. gariepinus fingerlings were randomly allotted into five treatments with three replicates each. Five dietary treatments containing varying levels of 0.00, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 g of turmeric as supplement were pelleted with other ingredients for the experimental diet. Fish fed with 0.25 and 1.00 g of turmeric supplemented feed had the best growth performance although 0.25 g supplementation group performed significantly better on week 8. The acceptability of the diet was less than four seconds in all treatments, 0.25 g of turmeric supplemented diet was most readily accepted by the fish followed closely by the 0.75 and 1.00 g/100 g of feed. The haematological profile of the fish showed that the turmeric supplemented diet was good for the fish and were within range irrespective of their different values across the concentration. This was true for all the parameters apart from the neutrophil which was the lowest at 0.25 g concentration of turmeric supplement with 15.33 ± 1.16 compared to the control with 19.67 ± 1.53 (p<0.05) which is an indication that the fish may be suffering from acute neutrophilia. It was concluded that turmeric supplemented feed improved the growth performance and the immunity of the fish at 1.00 g inclusion of turmeric as supplement per 100 g of feed.