EVALUATION OF Saccharomyces cerevisiae AND Allium sativum ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF Clarias gariepinus (BURCHELL-1822) FINGERLINGS

The study was conducted at the University Fish Farm, take-off Campus of Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, to evaluate the effect of yeast and garlic on growth performance and haematological parameters of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell-1822) Fingerlings. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) Clarias gariepinus fingerlings were sourced from the Department of Biology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The fish were acclimatized for two weeks, weighed, and randomly divided into four treatment groups consisting of a control group (T4, 0g/kg yeast and garlic, T1 2g/kg yeast Sand garlic, T2 4g/kg yeast and garlic, and T3 6g/kg yeast and garlic), in a complete randomized design (CRD). The treatment was replicated three 3 times, with each replicate having fifteen (15) fingerlings. The experiment was conducted for twelve (12) weeks. The results revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) between T3 and T1, T2, and T4 in terms of FMW, MWG, and PMW, with T3 having the lowest values for all three parameters. The result of haematology revealed that there were significant (P < 0.05) differences between the control groups (T4) and the treated groups (T1, T2, & T3) in terms of PCV and Hb. The results also indicated that there were significant (P < 0.05) differences between T1, T2, and T3, T4, in terms of WBC, although T3 did not differ significantly from T1, T2, and T4. The results of the study revealed that there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences across all the treatments in terms of RBC, although numerical variations were observed with an increase in RBC values as the inclusion rate increased. Neutrophil values recorded in this study show that inclusion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Allium sativum at 2g, 4g, and 6g inclusion rates influenced significant (P < 0.005) differences between T1 and T3, with T3 having the highest value obtained.