Study confirms: polyphenol-rich feed additives beneficial to shrimps

Scientists at the Aquaculture Business Research Center at the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University in Bangkok, conducted a study in which they explored the effects of phytobiotic products on the Pacific white shrimp’s health and its tolerance to Vibrio infection. A further aim was to find a new alternative product to replace antibiotics in shrimp culture. The phytobiotic products were polyphenol-rich feed additives made from grapes, which are an ingredient of Anta®Ox FlavoSyn (Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition).

Two different dosages Anta®Ox FlavoSyn, one of 400 ppm and the other of 800 ppm, were sprayed and mixed with commercial pellet feed (Charoen Pokphand, Thailand), containing 36% crude protein and 6% lipid.

After these experimental diets were administered for 60 days, the average body weight of shrimps in both groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Body weight results from experiment 1.

In a second experiment, the shrimps were infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The survival rate of the group with 800 ppm of grape pomace was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control group (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Survival rate results from experiment 2.

The study reveals the benefits of using polyphenol-rich feed additives in shrimp aquaculture: growth promotion in uninfected post-larval shrimps and an improved survival rate in juvenile shrimps infected with V. parahaemolyticus.

It also supports the use of phytobiotic products as an alternative to antibiotics in shrimp culture, which could be beneficial to both farmers and consumers.

The paper may be downloaded from: scialert.net