Growth performance and digestive enzymes activities of Pacific white leg shrimp (Litopenaus vannamei) juveniles fed dietary mixtures of four medicinal plants

Abstract

In present study the effect of dietary inclusion of equal amounts of four traditional medicines; Matricaria chamomilla L, Zataria multiflora L, Mentha piperita L and Terminalia chebulo L on growth performance and digestive enzymes activity in Litopenaeus vannamei was investigated. Two diets, including a control basal diet and an experimental diet with 30 g kg-1 herbal mixture supplementation were prepared. Juveniles (with average weight of 2.63±0.11 g) were fed control and supplemented diet for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, shrimp fed the experimental diet showed significant increase in SGR, WGR, compared with those of the control group. Shrimp fed with herbal mixture supplementation revealed significantly higher lipase, protease and amylase activities as compared with the control group in 60 days. The results indicated that using equal mixtures of four medicinal plants in L. vannamei diets can improve the growth parameters and digestive enzyme activities