Dietary niacin levels in practical diets for Litopenaeus vannamei to support maximum growth

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of dietary niacin on growth performance, feed utilization and non-specific immune response in juvenile Pacific white shrimp. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic practical diets were formulated with graded niacin levels of 10.9, 65.8, 121.2, 203.4, 387.5 and 769.3 mg kg−1 of dry diet, respectively. Results indicated that per cent weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency (FE), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and protein productive value (PPV) were significantly influenced by the dietary niacin levels. The maximum WG and SGR occurred at 121.2 mg kg−1 niacin diet. However, survival and proximate composition of whole body were not significantly affected by the dietary niacin levels. Dietary niacin levels had no significant effects on the total protein, glucose, triacylglycerol and cholesterol contents in the haemolymph. The activity of catalase and lysozyme in the haemolymph was significantly affected by dietary niacin levels. Based on a two-slope regression analysis of SGR against dietary niacin level, the dietary niacin requirement of juvenile Pacific white shrimp was 109.6 mg kg−1.