Investigation of the effect of dietary nucleotides on hematological indices of rainbow trout fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This experiment was conducted to examine the effect of dietary nucleotides on growth and hematological indices of rainbow trout fingerlings. A basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 percent to formulate five experimental diets. Each diet was randomly allocated to triplicate groups of fish with initial average weight of approximately 23 g. After 8 weeks of feeding trial, fish fed diets with 1.5-2 g nucleotide Kg-1 had the highest final weight, followed by groups fed the diets with 0.05-0.1 percent nucleotide, and lowest in fish fed the control diet. There were significant difference in haematological parameters including RBC, WBC, HB, lymphocyte neutrophil percentage, MCH and MCV in fish fed by dietary nucleotide compared with control treatment (P< 0.05). We therefore recommend dietary nucleotide administration at 0.15-0.20 percent exerted positive effects on growth and, hematological indices in rainbow trout.