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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #263318
Title: The effects of essential oils BIOMIN PEP MGE on weight gain feed conversion ratio and survival of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Author
item Wood, Monica
item Bosworth, Brian
item LI, MENGHE - Mississippi State University
item BELTRAN, RUBEN - Biomin America, Inc
item Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2010
Publication Date: 2/1/2011
Citation: Wood, M.L., Bosworth, B.G., Li, M.H., Beltran, R., Peterson, B.C. 2011. The effects of essential oils BIOMIN PEP MGE on weight gain feed conversion ratio and survival of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Meeting Abstract. P. 493.

Interpretive Summary: We examined the effects of essential oils (Biomin® P.E.P. MGE) on weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival of channel catfish. Five hundred catfish (32.4 ± 1.7 g/fish) were randomly assigned to two treatments. Treatments were: 1. Control (32% crude protein floating commercial diet) and 2. Biomin® P.E.P. MGE (32% crude protein commercial floating diet supplemented with Biomin® P.E.P. MGE at 200 g/ton). Tanks (1,150 L) were supplied with re-circulated pond water and aeration. The fish were fed once a day to apparent satiation for twelve weeks and weighed every four weeks. By week 8, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish gained more weight (51.4 ± 1.9 g/fish vs. 37.3 ± 5.1 g/fish) and had a higher SGR (1.8 ± 0.1 vs. 1.5 ± 0.1) compared to controls. By the end of the study, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish gained more weight (76.9 ± 2.0 g/fish vs. 53.4 ± 3.2 g/fish) and had a higher SGR (1.5 ± 0.1 vs. 1.3 ± 0.1) compared to controls. In addition, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish consumed more feed (104.3 ± 3.6 g/fish vs. 79.6 ± 3.0 g/fish). FCR and survival were similar between treatments at 8 and 12 weeks. The addition of Biomin® P.E.P. MGE to catfish diets may prove beneficial in improving palatability of feed as well as improving growth of channel catfish

Technical Abstract: We examined the effects of matrix encapsulated essential oils (Biomin® P.E.P. MGE) on weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival of channel catfish. Five hundred catfish (32.4 ± 1.7 g/fish) were randomly assigned to two treatments with five replicate tanks/treatment of 50 fish/tank. Treatments were: 1. Control (32% crude protein floating commercial diet) and 2. Biomin® P.E.P. MGE (32% crude protein commercial floating diet supplemented with Biomin® P.E.P. MGE at 200 g/ton). Tanks (1,150 L) were supplied with re-circulated pond water and aeration. The fish were fed once a day to apparent satiation for twelve weeks and weighed every four weeks. Water quality was monitored throughout the study. Water temperature averaged 32.9°C while dissolved oxygen averaged 9.3 mg/L. Total ammonia nitrogen and nitrite averaged 0.34 and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. By week 8, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish gained more weight (51.4 ± 1.9 g/fish vs. 37.3 ± 5.1 g/fish) and had a higher SGR (1.8 ± 0.1 vs. 1.5 ± 0.1) compared to controls (P < 0.03). By the end of the study, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish gained more weight (76.9 ± 2.0 g/fish vs. 53.4 ± 3.2 g/fish) and had a higher SGR (1.5 ± 0.1 vs. 1.3 ± 0.1) compared to controls (P < 0.001). In addition, Biomin® P.E.P. MGE fed fish consumed more feed (104.3 ± 3.6 g/fish vs. 79.6 ± 3.0 g/fish). FCR and survival were not different between treatments at either 8 or 12 weeks. The results show that fish fed Biomin® P.E.P. MGE consumed more feed and gained more weight. The addition of Biomin® P.E.P. MGE to catfish diets may prove beneficial in improving palatability of feed as well as improving growth of channel catfish.