Dietary lysophospholipid improves growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity response of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × O. mossambicus)

Abstract

Lysophospholipids (LPL) are usually used as emulsifiers in fish nutrition because of their ability to ameliorate nutrient digestibility and lipid metabolism. The present study aims to assess the effects of a commercial dietary lysophospholipid on growth performance, feed utilization, antioxidant activity, innate immunity and biochemical indices of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. mosambicus) fingerlings. Five isonitrogenous (35.8% CP) and isocaloric (18.7 MJ kg−1) diets were prepared as follows: two control diets coded as C1 and C2, containing 2 and 1% soybean oil, respectively. The other three diets were coded as LPL1, LPL2 and LPL3, and were formulated by supplementing the C2 diet with 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% lysophospholipid. The fingerlings of red tilapia (2.13 ± 0.42 g fish−1) were fed the diets for 70 days. The highest significant (p < 0.05) final weight and weight gain were recorded in LPL2. The best values of feed efficiency and protein efficiency (PER)were in all fish groups fed LPL in their diets (p < 0.05). Protein productive value (PPV) showed the highest result in LPL3 (p < 0.05). Lysozyme activity showed the best result in LPL3 (p < 0.05). The highest values of alternative complement activity (ACH50) and total immunoglobulin (Ig) were in LPL3 and LPL2 (p < 0.05). The best results of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity were recorded in LPL3 (p < 0.05). The lowest values of triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (CHO) were detected in LPL1 and LPL2 (p < 0.05). Thus, the inclusion of 0.2% of the commercial lysophospholipid in red tilapia diets enhanced the growth performance, feed utilization, innate immunity, antioxidant activity and lipase activity, and reduced CHO and TG of red tilapia fingerlings.