Abstract: |
Two months feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the role of chia seed powder (CSP) enriched diets in
improving Oreochromis niloticus tolerance to cold thermal stress. A total of 200 Nile tilapia fish were divided into
5 experimental groups with 4 replicates (10 fish/ replicate). Experimental groups were fed on the basal diet (BD)
supplemented with CSP at levels 0.0, 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 g/ kg diet and reared at 16–19 ◦C temperature range. Fish
growth performance (final weight, total gain, and specific growth rate) was linearly increased with increasing
dietary CSP supplementation (linear, P < 0.0001) along with improved FCR compared to the control. The highest
survival rate was recorded in tilapia which received 6 g chia /kg diet. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) %
of fish whole body were increased (linear response, P = 0.009, P < 0.0001, respectively), while ash and crude
lipids % were reduced in CSP-supplemented tilapia (linear, P = 0.0008, P = 0.0186, respectively). A linear increase
in red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) counts and hemoglobin (P < 0.0001) of fish was also
achieved with increasing chia level. The serum lipid profile parameters, glucose and cortisol levels in Nile tilapia
fish under cold stress tended to decrease in response to increasing chia powder level (linear, P < 0.0001). Serum
antioxidants (total antioxidant capacity-TAOC, reduced glutathione-GSH and catalase-CAT) and immune
response parameters concentrations (IgM, IgG and lysozymes) were significantly improved with supplemental
CSP added in diet reared under cold stress. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of chia seed powder (optimum level
4.5 and 6 g/ kg diet) in Nile tilapia raised under lower temperature (16–19 ◦C) showed a stress relieving effects
through increasing their survival rate, enhanced growth performance, antioxidants, immunological responses
and reducing the stress related indicators as cortisol
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