Growth performance and hemobiochemical parameters in South African dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus, Sciaenidae) offered brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a feed additive.

Abstract

There is some evidence that single-cell proteins such as yeast have the potential to improve feed utilization in aquaculture fish, but this has not been investigated in the economically important dusky kob, Argyrosomus japonicus. This study was, therefore, designed to determine the effect of graded levels of dietary inactivated brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on the growth performance and hemobiochemical parameters of dusky kob in a 6-week feeding period. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets—consisting of three brewer's yeast-containing diets at rates of 50,150, and 300 g/kg dry matter (BY5P0, BY15P0, and BY30P0, respectively); a commercial dusky kob diet containing 10% probiotic mix but no brewer's yeast (BY0P1, positive control); and a commercial dusky kob diet with neither the probiotic mix nor the yeast (BY0P0, negative control)—were formulated. A total of 65 fish, weighing an average of 7.02 ± 0.10 g, were randomly distributed to each of 20 replicate tanks. Each dietary treatment was randomly allocated to four tanks and offered to fish at a rate of 2.8% fish body weight per day. A total of 10 fish from each tank were randomly sampled once a week for length and weight measurements. Blood was drawn from five fish per tank (20 fish per treatment) for hematology and serumbiochemical analyses at the end of the 6 weeks. Fish on the BY0P0 diet achieved the highest weight gain of 18.53 ± 0.69 g after 6 weeks. Growth rate was significantly reduced in the groups fed BY15P0 and BY30P0 diets compared to the BY0P0, BY0P1, and BY5P0 groups. Fish fed the BY0P0 diet recorded the highest average feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of 0.22, while the BY30P0-fed group recorded the lowest FCE of 0.15. Hematocrit and alanine transaminase levels declined with increasing levels of yeast. It can be concluded that the maximum inclusion level of brewer's yeast that does not impair growth performance and health of dusky kob is 50 g/kg.