A preliminary assessment of the effects of dietary black cumin seed cake on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and fatty acid composition of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio var. specularis) fingerlings

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the response of feeding black cumin seed cake (BCSC) as a feed ingredient on growth, feed utilization, blood bio-chemistry, and muscle fatty acid composition for mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio var. specularis). Three diets were formulated to replace 0% (Control), 25% (BCSC25), and 50% (BCSC50) of soybean meal protein with BCSC. Carp fingerlings were distributed to nine 150-L tanks connected to a recirculating aquaculture system and fed the experimental diets twice a day for 63 days. At the end of the feeding trial, growth and feed intake were negatively correlated with dietary BCSC levels. Different dietary levels of BCSC had no significant effect on the levels of serum total protein, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and glucose. However, fish fed with BCSC25 and BCSC50 exhibited a significantly lower cholesterol and triglyceride contents compared to control treatment. The palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), linolenic acid (C18:3n-3), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content of mirror carp muscle were not significantly influenced by dietary treatments. The findings of the present study indicated that BCSC and its therapeutic potential should be investigated at lower inclusion levels on the growth and health status of C. carpio.

Automated summary

The study revealed that different levels of black cumin seed cake had a negative impact on growth and feed intake of mirror carp, but showed no significant effects on blood biochemistry parameters, while exhibiting potential to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.