Effect of Lippia grata essential oil as a feed additive on the performance of tambatinga juveniles

Abstract

Lippia grata (formerly known as Lippia gracillis) is an aromatic plant native to Brazil, with leaves rich in essential oils that possess significant biological activities. We evaluated the effect of essential oil of L. grata (EOLG) as a dietary additive on the growth, somatic indices, and biochemical parameters of juveniles (5.25 ± 0.26 g) of tambatinga, a hybrid fish obtained by crossing tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) with pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomum) of great economic importance in north and northeastern Brazil. We evaluated four dietary treatments, consisting of EOLG supplemented at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mL kg-1, over 60 days. Carcass yield was significantly higher in fish fed all EOLG diets compared to those fed the control diet (0.0 mL kg-1). Animals that received the 0.5 mL kg-1 treatment gained significantly more weight and showed a higher specific growth rate than those treated with 1.0 and 2.0 ml kg-1 EOLG, although none differed significantly from the control. The feed conversion rate was significantly lower in the 0.5 than in the 1.0 mL kg-1 treatment. Compared with higher concentrations, the diet containing 0.5 mL kg-1 EOLG increased the use of muscle glycogen, glucose, and lactate to meet energy demands, avoiding the use of muscle protein. Our results suggest that dietary supplementation with EOLG significantly improves carcass yield in tambatinga juveniles but that concentrations above 0.5 mL kg-1 may compromise growth rates and carbohydrate metabolism in this fish.

Efeito do óleo essencial de Mentha piperita na conservação de carne refrigerada do peixe híbrido tambatinga

“…No Brasil, entre as espécies mais criadas estão Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia do Nilo) e espécies nativas como Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui), Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu) e Arapaima gigas (pirarucu) (3) . Tambatinga, a espécie utilizada neste estudo, é um híbrido desenvolvido a partir do cruzamento das espécies nativas C. macropomum e Piaractus brachypomus (pirapitinga) e tem crescimento superior e taxas de produtividade maiores do que seus genitores, e por essa razão tem se tornado uma importante espécie no cenário de produção de peixes no Norte e Nordeste do Brasil (4,5) .…”

Effect of Mentha piperita essential oil in the conservation of refrigerated tambatinga hybrid fish meat

“…Tambatinga, the species used in this study, is a hybrid developed from the crossing of the native species C. macropomum and Piaractus brachypomus (pirapitinga) that exhibits higher growth and productivity rates than its parents. As such, it has become an important species in the scenario of fish farming in North and Northeast Brazil (4,5) .…”