Effect of dietary supplementation with ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract on growth, biochemical and hemato-immunological parameters in juvenile beluga (Huso huso)

The study was performed to examine the efficacy of ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract on growth performance, biochemical and hemato-immunological parameters in juvenile beluga (Huso huso). Fish were divided into 4 groups before fed diet for 8 weeks with 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% ginger extract and with unsupplemented commercial diet as the control. Results showed that there was a significant different in weight gain in fish fed ginger extract diet compared to the control (P 0.05). There were no significant differences in condition factor, feed conversion ratios, specific growth rate and survival between juveniles fed control and ginger extract supplementation (P 0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences of RBC, WBC counts, Hct, monocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, glucose, TPP, triglyceride, lipid and globulin levels between the treatment groups (P 0.05). Furthermore, alternative complement activity (ACH50), serum total immunoglobulin (Ig) and lysozyme activity were significantly increased in 1.5% ginger fed fish (P 0.05); however, it did not change the SOD activity, significantly (P 0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that by using 1.5% this extract there will be an improvement in hemato-biochemical parameters and immune function of juvenile beluga.