February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

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THE EFFECT OF A PREBIOTIC SHORT CHAIN FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDE (scFOS)
ON THE GROWTH, SURVIVAL, AND IMMUNE RESPONSE OF ADULT PACIFIC WHITE
SHRIMP Litopenaeus vannamei UNDER CONDITIONS OF PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY
Brandon C. Klim*, Addison L. Lawrence, Susmita Patnaik, Joe M. Fox, Bart R. Dunsford and David A. McKee
Texas AgriLife Research Laboratory
Texas A&M System
Port Aransas, TX 78373 USA
bklim@islander.tamucc.edu
Prebiotics have been shown to enhance the health, growth and survival of many terrestrial animals and have become a common
feed supplement in livestock, pet and human foods providing a number of nutritional benefits. These benefits are attributed
to the selective nature of prebiotics in promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria out-compete harmful bacterial
and carry out metabolic activities that are advantageous to the host. Recent studies have shown that supplementation
of a short-chain fructooligosaccharide (scFOS) prebiotic in shrimp feed significantly alters the microbial flora of the gut and
enhances immune response in juvenile Pacific white shrimp under clean water conditions. The present study explores the potential
benefits of this prebiotic by applying it to grow-out of adult Pacific white shrimp in the presence of primary productivity.
These conditions are thought to more closely resemble those of a typical commercial shrimp farm and provide commercially
applicable information on the use of this prebiotic.
A 10-week growth trial with adult Pacific white shrimp is being conducted outdoors in 2,180L (2.35m diameter x 0.50m depth)
tanks with a water exchange rate of 33%/d and stocking density of 75 shrimp/m 2 (150/m 3 ). A growth trial using diets with
0.08% scFOS and without scFOS at feeding rates of 1.0, 1.3 and 1.6 g/shrimp/wk is currently being undertaken with five replicates
for each dietary treatment. Shrimp were stocked at a mean weight of 5.23g and are being reared under ambient salinity
and temperature conditions.
Upon termination of the study, mean survival and growth of shrimp as well as feed conversion ratio will be determined. In
order to quantify immune response, haemolymph will be extracted from subsamples of shrimp from each tank. These analyses
will include total haemocyte count, haemocyte respiratory burst and phenoloxidase activity.
Survival, growth and FCR will be analyzed statistically for significant differences between treatments with and without scFOS
as well as among different feed rates. Immune response data will be analyzed and compared among treatments to provide
supporting evidence corresponding to possible survival and health benefits. The results of this study will help to demonstrate
whether significant survival, growth and immune benefits can be achieved using scFOS as a prebiotic supplement to commercial
shrimp feed. Research findings will be discussed in the paper.