In Vivo Activity of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (cGnRH-II, sGnRHa and LHRHa) in African Catfish, (Clarias Gariepinus B.) and Javanese Barb, (Barbodes Gonionotus B.)

Gonadotropin hormone releasing hormone (GnRH) is a peptide hormone that is responsible for stimulating the release of gonadotropins from pituitary and consequently influence the steroid hormone production level in the ovary. Six experiments have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of cGnRH-II as an inducing agent for maturation and ovulation in Clarias gariepinus and Barbodes gonionotus. The first experiment determined the effectiveness of native cGnRH-II when compared with analog LHRHa, and sGnRHa with saline used as control. The concentration of all the hormones used in this experiment was 20μg/kg. For the second experiment, three different concentrations were given; 2 μg/kg, 20 μg/kg and 200 μg/kg with saline as a control. Finally, the third experiment examined the pimozide (PIM) as dopamine inhibitor with the combination of cGnRH-II to accelerate the maturation and ovulation. The hormones involved were cGnRH-II 200 μg/kg; 5mg/kg PIM; cGnRH-II 200 μg/kg + 5mg/kg PIM and saline. All the hormones were administered as a single injection. The experimental parameters observed were hormonal changes in the fishes and Germinal Vesicle (GV) movement during the experiment. Each group consisted of six sexually mature females ranging from 450-550 g Body Weight (BW). The GV was examined prior to injection at 0h, 6h, 12h and 24h post injection and ranked from 1 (GV at central location) to 4 (at ovulation stage). Blood were sampled at the same time as the GV examination. Plasma sample were analyzed for Testosterone (T) and 17ß-Estradiol (E2) concentrations using Enzyme Link Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hatching and fertilization rates were determined and data for plasma steroid hormones and the GV were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). For African catfish, sGnRHa showed the most outstanding effect compared to the two treatments (LHRHa and cGnRH-II) since it is more resistance to degradation when compared with native peptides. The 200μg/kg cGnRH–II proved to be effective in stimulating maturation and ovulation. Saline injected fish remained unchanged where the initial GV was at stage 1.00±0.00. The cGnRH-II alone was enough to induce maturation and ovulation in African catfish. All fish ovulated in both groups (cGnRH-II alone and cGnRH-II + PIM) while the GV showed significant migration throughout the experiment (P0.05). Although no ovulation was observed, the plasma steroid hormones and GV of cGnRH-II treated group showed significant effect compared to saline group (P<0.05). The cGnRH-II was proven to effectively induced maturation and ovulation in both the Javanese barb and African catfish although large number of dosage was required. The use of a potent cGnRH-II analog for the improvement of spawning induction therapies is strongly suggested to increase the performance of cGnRH-II.one and cGnRH-II + PIM treatments, respectively. For Javanese barb, sGnRHa was more potent compared to the cGnRH-II and LHRHa. In the graded dosage experiment, 200 μg/kg cGnRH-II seemed to induce for oocyte maturation but no ovulation occurred. However, addition of Pimozide increase the plasma steroid level compared to cGnRH-II alone. The plasma steroid hormone for the saline treated group in all the experiment remained the same throughout the study (P>0.05). Although no ovulation was observed, the plasma steroid hormones and GV of cGnRH-II treated group showed significant effect compared to saline group (P<0.05). The cGnRH-II was proven to effectively induced maturation and ovulation in both the Javanese barb and African catfish although large number of dosage was required. The use of a potent cGnRH-II analog for the improvement of spawning induction therapies is strongly suggested to increase the performance of cGnRH-II

Effect of partial and complete replacement of fishmeal with mushroom stalk meal and soy bean meal on growth performance of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings

A dietary study was conducted to assess the use of mushroom stalk (MM), Pleurotus sajor caju, an agriculture waste and soy bean meal (SBM) as partial and complete replacement of fishmeal (FM) in tilapia fingerling diets. The study was conducted for 56 days. The diets were processed into sinking pellets. The experimental diets were formulated to replace fish meal protein at 0, 33, 67 and 100% (diet 4, 3, 2 and 1). In this experiment, Nile tilapia fingerlings weighing about 1.00 g were fed each of four isonitrogenous diet. They were randomly distributed into 12 plastic tanks with each tank stocking 20 fish. The experiment was conducted in three replicates for each treatment. All the diets were well accepted by the fish. No physical abnormalities were observed in all treatments. Good growth performance was shown in 33% replacement (diet 3) of FM diet. However, diet 1 (100% replacement) gave the highest increment in crude protein level and the best result of feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Furthermore, the 100% replacement of FM (diet 1) was the best with a production cost of RM2.61/kg

Growth performance, feed utilization and body composition of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) fed with different levels of black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) maggot meal diet

In this study, fish meal (FM) was replaced by the black soldier fly maggot meal (BSFM) with replacement levels at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. The feeding trial was conducted for 56 days and the effect of each replacement level on the growth performance, feed utilization, body composition and survival of the experimental fish was assessed. All the experimental diets were well accepted by the fish. No mortality was observed during the experimental period. Diet 3 resulted in the highest weight gain and SGR values of 8.74±0.18 and 2.43±0.04% respectively. FCR and PER values obtained for Diet 3 were also better compared to that with other diets. Although there were no significant differences in crude protein content among fishes fed different diets (Diet 1 to Diet 5), fish fed Diet 3 showed significant (p<0.05) increase in crude protein content at the end of the experiment. Based on these results, it may be concluded that BSFM can be used to replace FM with up to 50% replacement without causing adverse effects on growth and feed utilization parameters

Review: Potential of Using Seaweed Silage Inoculated with Lactic Acid Bacteria and Its Impact Towards Sustainable Animal Feed

Since ancient times, seaweed has been used to supplement animal feed in coastal areas. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for seaweed as an animal feed. Effective preservation methods are required because of annual variations in seaweed availability and biochemical composition. Ensiling could be an effective method to preserve seaweeds for animal feed applications. Using lactic acid bacteria is a substitute biological technique for keeping and restoring the usual physiological state of the animal and increasing efficiency. The aim of this review is the potential of using lactic acid bacteria as an inoculant for seaweed silage for the development of sustainable animal feed. According to the microbiological point of view, the results in this area are weak, and limited information is available. Due to its high nutritional content, seaweed silage is a promising animal feed ingredient and is getting acceptance as an alternative animal feed. Therefore, seaweeds contain valuable metabolites such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, phlorotannins, carrageenan, alginate pigments, agar, and minerals (manganese, iodine, calcium, iron, selenium, sodium, zinc) are used as a natural antibiotic source in animal feed. In conclusion, increasing the use of effective lactic acid bacteria as an inoculant in animal feed can make the livestock sector more productive, safer, and friendly to humans and the environment, contributing to animal feed\u27s long-term development

Inclusion of cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) meal in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) feed influences disease resistance

In our present study, we observed the effect of cricket meal (CM) on disease resistance of African catfish. Fish were fed diets containing 350 g kg–1 and 400 g kg–1 of CM and 350 g kg–1 of fishmeal as control. The fish were divided into triplicates treatments of ten fish per replicate, weighed 22.5±0.6 g and fed with experimental diets for 40 days before being challenged against Aeromonas hydrophila. Relative percentage of survival (RPS) was recorded over 12 days post-challenge. White blood cell count, total protein, globulin and lysozyme showed significantly increasing levels in those fed with cricket meal diet compared to the control group. Mortalities at 12-day post-challenge significantly decreased to 30% (RPS: 66.7%) and 27% (RPS: 70%) for 35% and 40% CM respectively compared to 90% mortality in control group. Intestines and liver tissues of infected fish were dissected for pathogenic confirmation. The intestines of control diet showed the highest bacterial load (58.2×107 cfu g–1) compared to CM diets. The current study indicates that dietary CM could enhance the innate immune system and disease resistance of African catfish

Fishmeal replacement with Spirulina Platensis and Chlorella vulgaris in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) diet: Effect on antioxidant enzyme activities and haematological parameters

This study explored fishmeal replacement with two freshwater microalgae: Spirulina Platensis and Chlorella vulgaris in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) diet. The effect of inclusion of the two microalgae on biomarkers of oxidative stress, haematological parameters, enzyme activities and growth performance were investigated. The juvenile fish were given 3 distinct treatments with isonitrogenous (35.01–36.57%) and isoenergetic (417.24–422.27 Kcal 100 g−1) diets containing 50% S. platensis (50SP), 75% S. platensis (75SP), 50% C. vulgaris (50CL), 75% C. vulgaris (75CL) and 100% fishmeal (100% FM) was used as the control diet. The result shows that all the diets substituted with both S. platensis, and C. vulgaris boosted the growth performance based on specific growth rate (SGR) and body weight gain (BDWG) when compared with the control diet. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) was significantly influenced by all the supplementations. The haematological analysis of the fish shows a significant increase in the value of red and white blood cells upon supplementation with 50SP and 50CL but decrease slightly when increased to 75SP and 75CL. Furthermore, the value of haematocrit and haemoglobin also increased upon supplementation with 50SP and 50CL but decrease slightly when increased to 75SP and 75CL. The white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) increased, while total cholesterol (TCL), and Plasma glucose levels decreased significantly upon supplementation of algae. This is a clear indication that S. platensis and C. vulgaris are a promising replacement for fishmeal, which is a source protein in the C. gariepinus diet

Hot water extract of Pleurotus pulmonarius stalk waste enhances innate immune response and immune-related gene expression in red hybrid tilapia Oreochromis sp. following challenge with pathogen-associated molecular patterns

In aquaculture, commercial fish such as red hybrid tilapia are usually raised at high density to boost the production within a short period of time. This overcrowded environment, however, may cause stress to the cultured fish and increase susceptibility to infectious diseases. Antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are used by fish farmers to overcome these challenges, but this may increase the production cost. Studies have reported on the potential of mushroom polysaccharides that can act as immunostimulants to enhance the immune response and disease resistance in fish. In the current study, hot water extract (HWE) from mushroom stalk waste (MSW) was used to formulate fish feed and hence administered to red hybrid tilapia to observe the activation of immune system. Upon 30 days of feeding, the fish were challenged with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)) to mimic bacterial and viral infection, respectively. HWE supplementation promoted better feed utilisation in red hybrid tilapia although it did not increase the body weight gain and specific growth rate compared to the control diet. The innate immunological parameters such as phagocytic activity and respiratory burst activity were significantly higher in HWE-supplemented group than that of the control group following PAMPs challenges. HWE-supplemented diet also resulted in higher mRNA transcription of il1b and tnfa in midgut, spleen and head kidney at 1-day post PAMPs injection. Tlr3 exhibited the highest upregulation in the HWE fed fish injected with poly (I:C). At 3-days post PAMPs injection, both ighm and tcrb expression were upregulated significantly in the spleen and head kidney. Results showed that HWE supplementation enhances the immune responses of red hybrid tilapia and induced a higher serum bactericidal activity against S. agalactiae

Cricket meal as an alternative to fishmeal in diets for african catfish (Clarias gariepinus) / Norhidayah Mohd Taufek

In Malaysia, extensive farming of African catfish over the past decades has increased the utilization of fishmeal as the preferred aquafeeds owing to its highly nutritional properties. However, various pressures have been put on the fish farming industry to switch to more sustainable diet in order to reduce the dependency on fishmeal as the sole fish feed. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to evaluate the potential of cricket in diets for African catfish in terms of growth performance, nutrient and amino acids digestibility, immunostimulant properties and susceptibility to oxidative stress. Four feeding trials were conducted to determine the use of cricket meal in African catfish diet. Cricket meal was capable of serving as an alternative protein replacement for fishmeal in the diet of farmed African catfish up to 100% without negatively affecting body composition and feed utilisation. Besides, fish fed cricket meal exhibited significantly higher nutrient and amino acids digestibility than fishmeal-fed fish. Mortalities at 12 days post-challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila was significantly decreased at dietary of 35% and 40% crude protein (CP) compared to control (fishmeal diet). From the pathogenic test, Aeromonas hydrophila isolation shows the highest count in the intestine of the control group while the lowest in the liver of the fish fed with 35% CP diet suggesting that dietary cricket meal enhanced the innate immune system and survivability of African catfish. Antioxidant activity of catalase was higher in 100% cricket meal substitution with 35% CP compared with fish fed other diets while glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed an increasing trend with higher incorporation of cricket meal although no significant difference was observed between all diets. These results signify that cricket meal could be a potential alternative for fishmeal as a protein source in African catfish diet without having any adverse health effect while at the same time improving growth and feed efficiency

Zebrafish nutrition: promoting fish health and welfare of the animal model in halal science research

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a popular animal model in scientific and even halal science research. As the use of zebrafish in research grows, so does the need to focus on their welfare to ensure that they live in normal-good health fit for research. Nutrition is an essential but often overlooked welfare factor in zebrafish, as it affects their development, health, reproduction, and response to stimuli. In many modern laboratory settings, zebrafish feeding is dependent on the researcher, with numerous types of feed and feeding regimens used without a rigorous assessment of the fish growth. This is mainly due to a lack of information about zebrafish nutritional requirements, which is the fundamental fault of any nutritional and growth study. A standard fish diet with an adequate amount of nutrition, including the appropriate ratio of protein, carbohydrate, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, are proposed to prevent the unplanned nutritional effect to the outcomes of such experiments. Protein is essential for the growth of the fish, while carbohydrates and lipid are the non-protein source of dietary energy for the fish diet. Therefore, this review addresses some nutritional requirements needed in zebrafish to be examined to produce a healthy zebrafish

Potential of field crickets meal (Gryllus bimaculatus) in the diet of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary replacement of fishmeal (FM) by using field crickets (CM) and on growth performance and feed utilization of African catfish fingerlings. Five isonitrogenous diets (28% crude protein) were used containing 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of FM substituted by CM. Triplicate group of fish (n = 15) were fed with their respective diets with initial mean body weight (BW) of 4.00 ± 0.8 g (mean ± SE) for 56 days. Fish fed with 100% CM exhibited significantly lower food conversion ratio than the lower inclusion level. Values of specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio increased gradually with increasing amount of CM inclusion level from 50% to 100%. All compounds of essential amino acids were present in experimental diets although methionine, lysine and tryptophan were comparatively less than the required amount of amino acid for African catfish. Whole-body crude protein composition was significantly higher in fish fed with diet 50% to 100% CM compared to initial fish. These results indicated that CM is capable of serving as an alternative protein replacement for FM in the diet of farmed African catfish up to 100% without affecting body composition and feed utilization