Table 3 Effect of dietary inclusion of M. piperita without probiotic bacterium B. coagulans on growth performance and intestinal enzyme activities of C. catla (Experiment 1)

Initial weight (g)

1.04 ± 0.01

1.01 ± 0.004

1.02 ± 0.003

1.05 ± 0.020

1.06 ± 0.002

Final weight (g)

2.50 ± 0.010^C

2.79 ± 0.360^B

2.90 ± 0.090^AB

3.05 ± 0.050^A

2.78 ± 0.250^B

Weight gain (g)

1.47 ± 0.020^C

1.78 ± 0.030^AB

1.87 ± 0.080^AB

2.00 ± 0.070^A

1.72 ± 0.030^B

Growth % gain in BW

141.09 ± 4.150^C

175.82 ± 3.170^AB

181.92 ± 7.590^AB

192.18 ± 9.920^A

161.48 ± 2.240^BC

Growth per day in BW

0.92 ± 0.030^C

1.04 ± 0.010^AB

1.05 ± 0.040^AB

1.09 ± 0.050^A

0.99 ± 0.010^B

Specific growth rate (SGR) (% BW d⁻¹)

0.38 ± 0.010^C

0.44 ± 0.010^AB

0.45 ± 0.010^AB

0.46 ± 0.150^A

0.42 ± 0.003^BC

Feed conversion ratio (FCR)

3.13 ± 0.090^A

2.74 ± 0.030^B

2.68 ± 0.110^B

2.58 ± 0.080^B

2.81 ± 0.050^AB

Gross conversion efficiency (GCE)

0.32 ± 0.010^C

0.36 ± 0.004^AB

0.37 ± 0.020^AB

0.39 ± 0.010^A

0.36 ± 0.010^B

Protein efficiency ratio (PER)

0.04 ± 0.001^C

0.04 ± 0.001^AB

0.05 ± 0.002^AB

0.05 ± 0.002^A

0.04 ± 0.003^BC

Apparent protein digestibility (APD) (%)

74.25 ± 0.620^B

74.32 ± 0.600^B

75.68 ± 0.530^AB

77.67 ± 0.420^A

75.50 ± 0.670^AB

Protease activity (mg of tyrosine liberated mg of protein⁻¹ h⁻¹)

1.77 ± 0.010^D

2.14 ± 0.010^C

2.21 ± 0.010^B

2.33 ± 0.010^A

2.14 ± 0.010^C

Amylase activity (mg of maltose liberated mgof protein⁻¹ h⁻¹)

1.29 ± 0.020^E

1.47 ± 0.010^D

1.72 ± 0.010^B

2.09 ± 0.010^A

1.57 ± 0.010^C

Cellulase activity (mg of glucose liberated mg of protein⁻¹ h⁻¹)

0.97 ± 0.010^E

1.11 ± 0.010^D

1.20 ± 0.010^C

1.40 ± 0.010^A

1.29 ± 0.010^B