Impact of different types of biochar supplemented Moringa oleifera seed meal-based diets on nutrient utilization, hematology and growth performance of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of various biochar sources on nutrient digestibility, hematology and growth performance of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings fed on Moringa oleifera seed meal (MOSM) based diet. A 90-days feeding trial was conducted in Fish Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan from June to September (2021) in order to investigate the efficacy of biochar obtained from sources such as parthenium, farmyard manure, poultry waste, vegetable waste and corncob waste at the level of 2 mg/kg. Triplicate tanks were used for all test diets including control diet with 15 fingerlings in each tank. Fish were fed at the rate of 5% of their live wet weight. Results showed that poultry waste biochar (test diet-IV) at 2 mg/kg was the best source to significantly (p<0.05) improve weight gain percent (248.89%) and Feed Conversion Ratio (1.27) than the other biochar sources and control diet. In terms of nutrient digestibility, optimum crude protein (72.12%), crude fat (78.35%) and gross energy (71.12 kcalg-1) values were obtained by using same type of biochar (poultry waste). At the same level, the best values of hematological parameters (Red blood cells, White Blood Cells, Hemoglobin; 3.12×106mm-3, 7.18×10³mm-3, 7.64g/100ml, respectively) of C. mrigala were found. Conclusively, among all the five biochar sources, poultry waste proved to be the best one which improved fish body performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]