Effect of dietary administration of Psychrobacter sp. on the growth, feed utilization, digestive enzymes and immune responses of grouper Epinephelus coioides

Abstract

A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of incorporating dietary Psychrobacter sp., one predominant bacterium with antagonistic activity in the gut of fast-growing grouper Epinephelus coioides, on the growth, feed utilization, digestive enzymes and immune responses of E. coioides at regular monthly intervals. The fish were fed with control diet (without probiont) or probiotic diet supplemented with 1.0 × 108 CFU g−1Psychrobacter sp. No significant improvement in weight gain (WG) and specific growth ratio (SGR) were observed in the probiotic group, but a significant improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in fish fed the probiotic diet for 60 days. Although not statistically significant, enhanced hepatopancreatic protease and lipase activities and intestinal amylase activity were observed in probiotic group at day 60. A slightly increase in phagocytic activity and phagocytic index was observed in fish fed probiotic diet for 60 days. Serum lysozyme activity showed no significant differences between the probiotic group and the control group during the whole experiment period, while an increasing trend of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the probiotic group was observed. Serum complement component 3 (C3) level of the probiotic group was higher than that of control in the whole feeding period, while complement component 4 (C4) level of the probiotic group was significantly higher than that of the control at day 60. The results of the current study firstly demonstrated potential for Psychrobacter sp. as a novel probiont to improve feed utilization, digestive enzymes and innate immunity in E. coioides.