Effect of feeding with diets containing flaxseed meal on growth performance and hematological indices in farmed Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary flaxseed meal on growth performance and hematological indices of Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii, 32 farmed fish with an average individual weight of 955.06 ± 53.38 g were randomly distributed in 8 fish tanks (500 L). The experimental diets were different levels of flaxseed meal in diet including 0 (control), 5 (F5), 10 (F10) and 15 (F15) percent in two replicates. At the end of the experiment period (six months), the results showed no significant difference in growth parameters. In hematological parameters, the number of red blood cells counts and hematocrit had a significant increase in F15 compared to the control but hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration had no any significant differences. Result of white blood cells showed a significant decrease in the number of white blood cells counts in control and also there was a significant increase in neutrophil and lymphocyte in F15 and control respectively, but there were not any significant differences in monocyte and eosinophil rates. The results revealed that adding the flaxseed meal in Siberian diet had not any effect on growth, while the hematological indices changed.