Abstract
The aquaculture industry in Mexico is searching for food ingredients that increase productivity without negatively affecting overall performance and health. Bovine plasma has been shown to contain a high concentration of bioactive compounds and growth factors that improve intestinal function and nutrient absorption. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of spray-dried bovine plasma (SDBP) on growth performance, protein efficiency, immune system, and survival in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Four diets were formulated to contain 0%, 1.5%, 3%, and 6% SDBP in isoproteic and isolipidic diets. Then, 120 juveniles of L. vannamei (4.02 ± 0.03) were randomly distributed in 12 ponds of 500-L with filtered seawater under a recirculation system (RAS). The diets were randomly distributed among the experimental tanks, with three ponds assigned per experimental diet. The feed was offered three times a day for eight weeks. At the end of the experiment, shrimp fed the diet with 3% SDBP had significantly (p < 0.05) improved overall performance compared to the other dietary treatments. Also, diets enriched with SDBP presented a significant increase (p < 0.05) of hemocytes compared to the dietary treatment SDBP-0, with a positive correlation between the number of hemocytes and increasing SDBP content. Furthermore, diets with 3% and 6% SDBP had the highest survival rate (90.0% and 93.3%, respectively). In conclusion, SDBP added at 3% in shrimp diets resulted in improved growth, survival, and hemocyte count. Therefore, SDBP is an excellent alternative to maintaining healthy shrimp.
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