Effect of dietary prebiotic inulin on growth, body composition and gut microbiota of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2016.04.011

Animal Feed Science and Technology

Volume 217, July 2016, Pages 87-94

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2016.04.011 Get rights and content

Highlights

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The beneficial effect of inulin supplementation on growth and FCR has been ascertained in seabass.
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Inulin supplementation altered the gut microbial community of seabass.
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The optimal level of inulin supplementation was found to be 15 g kg⁻¹ in seabass diet.

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to study the effect of inulin on growth, body composition and gut microbiota of Lates calcarifer fingerlings (average weight: 7.14 ± 0.05 g). Inulin was supplemented at five different concentrations 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g kg⁻¹ in the diet (400 g kg¹ protein and 90 g kg⁻¹ lipid) of L. calcarifer. The results of the 60 days feeding trial revealed that dietary inulin supplementation had a significant effect on specific growth rate (SGR) (linear, P = 0.029; quadratic, P = 0.022) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (linear, P = 0.033; quadratic, P = 0.003) between control and treatments. However, the final body weight (FBW) (quadratic, P = 0.0138) and weight gain (WG) (quadratic, P = 0.0150) followed a quadratic pattern. Supplementation of inulin did not affect whole body moisture and lipid. However, crude protein increased both linearly (linear, P = 0.001) and quadratically (quadratic, P = 0.001) in fish fed with 20 g kg⁻¹ inulin supplemented diets and a quadratic pattern in ash (P < 0.05) was recorded. Similarly hepatosomatic index (HSI) significantly increased (linear, P = 0.008; quadratic, P = 0.048) in fish fed 15 g kg⁻¹ inulin. Polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis of gut samples from inulin supplemented diet revealed the change in the gut microbial community of Asian seabass. It could therefore be inferred that inulin supplementation is beneficial in the diet of Asian seabass and supplementation at 15 g kg ⁻¹ level is optimal for enhancing growth.

Introduction

Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) commonly known as bhetki or barramundi, is an economically important candidate species for brackishwater aquaculture and it is widely cultured in Southeast Asia and Australia under extensive or intensive system in fresh, brackish and marine water resource. In India, it is being considered as a potential alternate candidate species for coastal aquaculture (Nandakumar et al., 2013). Diseases are one of the primary limiting factors for large scale propagation of aquaculture. Prebiotics have recently attracted extensive attention in aquaculture (Ringo et al., 2010) because of their natural origin and reduced influence on natural environment compared to antibiotics. However, prebiotics are often used more as a prophylactic rather than a curative measure as they reduce the need for antibiotics. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that are beneficial to the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. Manipulation of microbial population in the intestinal tract of aquatic animals through the use of prebiotics is a novel approach to improve the health and growth of the animal (Gibson et al., 2004). Inulin is a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by different plants, such as bananas, barley, chicory, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, onions and wheat (Roberfroid, 2005). Inulin has been reported to play an important role in improving health condition and immune function in fishes (Mahious et al., 2006, Cerezuela et al., 2008, Akrami et al., 2009, Burr et al., 2010, Blanca Partida-Arangure et al., 2013).

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), inulin and other related carbohydrates which are prebiotics established in fish to date (Ringo et al., 2010), have received considerable attention because of the health benefits they are believed to confer to the host. The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the nutrition and health of the host organism. Potential pathogenic bacteria are part of the intestinal microbiota of every healthy organism (Ringo et al., 2010) and if the conditions within the intestine become favorable (i.e. when the host is stressed or malnourished) for the bacterium then there exists a potential for pathogenic proliferation, translocation leading to infection of the host organism. Consequently, the present study investigated the effect of supplementation of inulin in the diet of Asian seabass, on growth, body composition and gut microbiota.

Section snippets

Preparation of experimental diets

Inulin was supplemented in a standard commercial diet at five different concentrations viz., 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g kg¹. The ingredients and proximate composition of the experimental diets are depicted in Table 1. Dry solid feed ingredients were ground in an electrical grinder and passed through a 0.5 mm sieve. They were mixed along with additives and homogenized thoroughly in an electrical blender. The diet mix was made into soft dough by adding water at 400 mL kg¹ of diet mix. The dough was then

Growth performance and survival

The growth performance and survival of Asian seabass fed with inulin-supplemented diets are presented in Table 3. Dietary inulin supplementation had a significant effect on specific growth rate (SGR) (linear, P = 0.029; quadratic, P = 0.022) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (linear, P = 0.033; quadratic, P = 0.003) between the fish fed inulin-supplemented diets and control. However final body weight (FBW) (quadratic, P = 0.0138) and weight gain (WG) (quadratic, P = 0.0150) revealed a quadratic pattern.

Discussion

This is the first report on the effect of inulin on growth, body composition and gut microbiota of L. calcarifer. Growth performance of Asian seabass fed with inulin supplemented diets indicated that inulin supplementation increased SGR and FCR in a linear as well as quadratic pattern whereas FBW and WG exhibited a quadratic trend. However, dietary inulin had no beneficial effect on survival and DGC. The beneficial effect of inulin supplementation on growth and survival of fish have been

Conclusion

Results from this study showed that inulin supplementation has got beneficial effect on growth, FCR and gut microbiota of Asian seabass. Supplementation of inulin at 15 g kg⁻¹ was found to be beneficial in the diet of Asian seabass. However, further studies are required to conclusively ascertain the prebiotic effect of inulin supplementation and to arrive at the optimal level of inclusion for improving the growth performance and microbial diversity.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi for the project on Outreach activity on Fish feeds. Authors express their sincere thanks to Dr. A.G. Ponniah, Former Director and Dr. K.K. Vijayan, Director, Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture for providing necessary facilities for carrying out this work. They are also thankful to Dr. G. Gopikrishna, Head, Nutrition Genetics and Biotechnology Division of CIBA and Mr. J. Ashok Kumar, Senior Scientist

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Effect of dietary prebiotic inulin on growth, body composition and gut microbiota of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Preparation of experimental diets

Growth performance and survival

Discussion

Conclusion

Conflicts of interest

Acknowledgements

Aquaculture

Fish Shellfish Immunol.

Fish Shellfish Immunol.

Aquaculture

J. Nutr.

Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists

Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water

Effect of dietary prebiotic inulin on growth performance, intestinal microflora, body composition and hematological parameters of juvenile Beluga, Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758)

J. World Aquacult. Soc.

Effects of dietary soybean meal, inulin and oxytetracycline on gastrointestinal histological characteristics, distal intestine cell proliferation and intestinal microbiota in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Br. J. Nutr.

Effect of inulin and probiotic bacteria on growth, survival, immune response, and prevalence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured under laboratory conditions