Effect of feeding diet on bacterial count and histology of intestine in grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella

In this study the effect of Alfalfa and barleyfeeding on bacterial count and histology of intestine in grass carp was investigated. For this purpose 60 fish (30 from each farm) from 2 farms with an average weight of 1280.67±319 g were randomly selected: one farm was fed with Alfalfa and one was fed barley to grass carp. The fishes were fed for one rearing period and at the end 30,fishes were selected from each farm and examined for their intestine total bacterial count and histologic characteristics. The results showed that the average of bacterial counts(Colony Forming Unit) were significantly different between both group (p<0.05). In histologic study there was significant difference in diameter of layers and the number of mucus cells (p<0.05). In barley group the mucosal layer was thicker than the Alfalfa group but the muscular layer was thinner.