CSIRO-developed microbial biomass, Novacq™, has been successfully used as a feed additive for Penaeus monodon in different formulations, but there are no published studies evaluating the use of the microbial biomass in L. vannamei feeds.
A team of researchers investigated the effects of supplementing Novacq™ at 100 g kg−1 in practical and commercial feeds in post-larvae 12 (PL 12) and juvenile white leg shrimp. Three experiments were carried out.
In Experiment 1, PL12 were fed for 21 days with a control, Novacq™ or commercial feed. The Novacq feed was equal in PL12 performance to the commercial diet and superior to the control. No statistical differences in survival, coefficient of variation and daily feed offered were observed across dietary treatments.
In Experiments 2 and 3 the performance of juvenile shrimp fed practical and commercial feeds supplemented with Novacq™ for 42 days, respectively. In Experiment 2, Novacq™ feed outperformed the control feed by improving survival, final individual weight, weight and percentage weight gain.
In Experiment 3 supplementing Novacq™ into the commercial feed improved performance and reduced the coefficient of variation. Shrimp fed feeds containing Novacq™ also displayed numerically reduced daily feed offered and estimated feed conversion ratio values in comparison to the other dietary treatments.
“The addition of marine microbial biomass, Novacq™, at 100 g kg−1 in practical and commercial feeds improved growth and feed efficiency of PL12 and juvenile whiteleg shrimp, suggesting its validity as a useful feed additive in the nutrition of L. vannamei. The mechanisms behind how Novacq™ can improve the performance of a feed remains unknown and should be a focus of future research,” researchers said.
Download the study here.
