The Effect of Matricaria Chamomilla L on the Growth Performance of Red Hybrid Tilapia
Saidah Fasiha Nordin1,2, Muhammad Luqman Nordin2, Abdinasir Yusuf Osman2, Ruhil Hayati Hamdan3, Rumaizi Shaari2, Mohd Mokhtar Arshad2 and Abd Rahman Aziz31Perak State, Department of Veterinary Services, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 30740 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
2Department of Clinical, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Pengkalan Chepa 16100 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
3Department of Paraclinical, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Pengkalan Chepa, 16100 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Corresponding Author E-mail: luqman.n@umk.edu.my
Abstract: Human consumption for fish protein has increased but diseases were recognized as the main constraint to the fishery production. Thus, there is the need to enhance feed efficiency, growth performance and disease resistance of cultured aquaculture using safer feed additive such as medicinal herbs. The using of herbs in powder form is not well reported, thus an experiment was conducted to evaluate the best effect of chamomile flowers, Matricaria chamomilla L. concerning their impacts on growth performance, blood profile as well as on the non-specific immune response on Red hybrid Tilapia, Oreochromis sp. fingerlings. A total of 240 fingerlings of Red hybrid Tilapia were used and chamomile powder at the rate of 2%, 4%, 6% were added to the commercial diet. The experimental Tilapia were fed with the four prepared diets including control diet of 0% chamomile powder for 28 days at of 5% of fish biomass. Different growth parameters and blood parameters were assessed to evaluate the growth performance and immune response of the experimented Tilapia. Study revealed that chamomile powder, Matricaria chamomilla L. at the rate of 6% showed the best result in term of growth performance as well as immune response parameters of the experimental Tilapia. Thus, supplementation of chamomile powder, Matricaria chamomilla L. in the rate of 6% as feed additive of fish diet is recommended.
Keywords: Chamomile; Growth Performance; Immune Response; Oreochromis sp; Red Hybrid Tilapia Back to TOC