Objective To evaluate the influence of propylene ammonia acyl-glutene (Ala-Gln) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on growth, feed utilization, and muscle composition of Jian carp, Cyprinus carpio var.jian.

Method Seven isoenergetic(17.0 MJ·kg^-1) and isonitrogenous (32% crude protein) feeds were formulated with varying proportions of Ala-Gln and GABA. With the 100% ratio corresponding to the optimum concentraion of Ala-Gln and GABA for Jian carp, growth (6.0 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln, 90 mg·kg^-1 GABA), the seven groups of feeds were formulated by scaling up or down to 0(0 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 0 mg·kg^-1GABA), 20%(1.2 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 18 mg·kg^-1GABA), 40%(2.4 g·kg^-1 Ala-Gln and 36 mg·kg^-1GABA), 60%(3.6 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 54 mg·kg^-1GABA), 80%(4.8 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 72 mg·kg^-1GABA), 100%(6.0 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 90 mg·kg^-1GABA), and 120%(7.2 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 108 mg·kg^-1GABA). Jian carps with an initial individual body mass of 45.59 g were fed for 8 weeks.

Result Compared with the 0 control group, all the other feed groups with added Ala-Gln and GABA significantly increased the average mass gain rate and the specific growth rate for Jian carps(P < 0.05). The 60% groups resulted in significantly higher feed efficiency, protein efficiency, and crude protein content in muscle compared to the control group (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference among other groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion Adding Ala-Gln and GABA to the feed promoted the larval growth, feed utilization and protein synthesis in the muscle for Jian carps, and the 60% group with 3.6 g·kg^-1Ala-Gln and 54 mg·kg^-1 GABA had the best effects.