Effects of different level of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) extract on growth performance and nutritional indexes of juveniles of Cyprinus carpio

In this study, the effect of dietary intake of different levels of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) extract on juveniles of Cyprinus carpio, was studied. For this purpose, 150 common carp juveniles (with mean weight: 20.3±0.89 gr) were randomly distributed in 15 fiberglass tanks (10 fish per tank) and fed by commercial diet containing 0% (control group), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% of ethanolic cumin extract (treatment groups). The fish were fed by apparent satiation thrice the day for 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, different growth parameters including weight gain, Daily growth rate, Specific Growth Rate, some condition factors, viscera somatic index, hepatosomatic index and nutritional indices including food conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, lipid efficiency ratio, total feed intake, net protein utilization, net lipid utilization were assessed. The results showed that administration of different levels of cumin extract in diets of juveniles of Cyprinus carpio caused an increasing effect on weight gain, daily growth rate and specific growth rate (P<0/05) compared to control group. The highest rate of these factors was observed in diet containing 2% of cumin extract and the lowest rate was for control group. According to the results of this study supplementation of 2% cumin extract to diet of juveniles of Cyprinus carpio may improve growth parameters and this herbal extract may presented as a growth promoter in carp culture.