Dietary Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) on Growth Performance of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The effects of dietary red clover on growth and body composition were investigated in common carp Cyprinus carpio. The fish (mean body weight 2.01±0.03 g) were fed with diets supplemented with three concentrations (50, 100 and 200 mg kg-1) of red clover and a control diet without red clover, for 12 weeks. The fish fed with diet supplemented with 100 mg kg-1 red clover exhibited significantly higher growth rates than fish fed with diets supplemented with 50 and 200 mg kg-1 red clover (p<0.001). The highest values of specific growth rate and food conversion ratio were 2.35±0.07 and 1.23±0.01, respectively at 100 mg kg-1 red clover diet group. Protein efficiency ratio and apparent net protein utilization were significantly higher in 100 mg kg-1 red clover group than that with other groups (p<0.001). However, significant differences were not observed in carcass moisture and proximate protein, lipid and ash contents among the all diet groups (p>0.05). Survival rate was higher (88%) in all dietary groups. The findings of the present study suggest that 100 mg kg-1 red clover inclusion improves growth rate, feed utilization and survival of common carp.