article · Aquaculture Reports
Adding common sage to aquafeed can boost the performance and health of European sea bass. In a ninety-day feeding trial, juvenile fish received feeds supplemented with sage at concentrations between zero and eight grams per kilogram. Fish given two grams per kilogram achieved improved growth, feed intake, and growth hormone secretion, while all groups maintained normal blood profiles indicative of good health. A supplementation rate of four grams per kilogram generated the highest non-specific immune responses, demonstrated by enhanced lysozyme and phagocytic activity. In the digestive tract, diets containing sage reduced overall bacterial counts as well as potentially harmful Vibrio and Escherichia coli populations, while higher doses encouraged acid-fermentative bacteria. Based on combined measurements of growth, feed conversion, and immunity, the optimum inclusion level was calculated at between 3.6 and 4.1 grams of sage per kilogram of feed.
Aquaculture operations frequently seek natural feed additives to support fish welfare and productivity without relying on synthetic treatments. Demonstrating that culinary herbs like sage improve weight gain, feed efficiency, immune defence, and gut microbiota provides fish producers with evidence-based options to cultivate European sea bass more sustainably while potentially mitigating common bacterial risks.
This research presents an applied and tested feed formulation approach for aquafeed manufacturers and European sea bass producers. The work identifies a direct pathway to incorporate sage into commercial diets at inclusion rates of approximately 3.6 to 4.1 grams per kilogram. Because the data originates from a controlled 90-day trial with 300 fish, advancing to real-world deployment will require supply chain sourcing, economic viability assessments, and industrial-scale validation on commercial fish farms.
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Adding medicinal herbs to aquafeed is recommended for feasible aquaculture activity. This study tested for 90 days the effect of dietary sage (Salvia officinalis L.) on the growth performance, feed efficacy, blood indices, non-specific immunity, and intestinal microbiota of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax; n = 300 fish). Fish with an initial weight of 12 ± 0.1 g/fish were distributed in five treatments and fed sage at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg. Dietary sage at 2 g/kg diet improved the growth, feed consumption, and growth hormone secretion in European sea bass. The blood parameters in European sea bass fed on experimental diets showed normal levels for healthy fish. Significantly higher lysozyme and phagocytic activities were recorded with sage supplement at the 4 g/kg diet compared to other groups. Regarding overall bacterial count, fish given a sage-free diet (the control) showed more significant microbiota numbers, Vibrio, Escherichia coli, and acid-fermentative bacteria. Remarkably, fish fed on diets fortified with sage displayed lower records of the total bacterial count, Vibrio, and Escherichia coli than the control. Moreover, fish fed a diet enriched with high levels of sage (6 or 8 g/kg) showed increased acid-fermentative bacteria. The regression analysis showed that the optimum quantity of sage at 3.6 – 4.1 g/kg diet is recommended based on the weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), phagocytic activity, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and lysozyme activity. In conclusion, the dietary incorporation of sage (2 – 4 g/ kg diet) enhanced growth, feed efficacy, blood indices, non-specific immune responses, and sustained healthier gut flora in European sea bass.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.aqrep.2022.101460
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