Can dietary with a taurine supplement improve lipid utilization, growth performance, haemolymph parameters and immune responses of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)?

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effects of taurine supplements and lipid levels in the diets for white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) to understand whether taurine supplements in diets can improve the lipid utilization for white shrimp. The experimental diets were formulated with two factors with 3 levels of taurine supplement (0%, 0.2% and 0.6% analysed value was 0.13%, 0.32% and 0.72%, respectively) and 3 levels of lipid (5%, 9% and 13%). The results of 8-week growth study showed that the percentage weight gain (WG%) and feed efficiency (FE) in diets with 0.2% taurine supplement were significantly higher than those fed diets with 0 and 0.6%, while WG, FE, feed intake (FI) and the muscle content of 13% lipid group were significantly lower but hepatosomatic index (HSI) was higher than those of 9% group. Diets with no taurine supplements and 13% lipid had the highest value on the haemolymph parameters and the lowest value on growth performance and immune responses. The taurine concentration in the whole body, muscle, hepatopancreas and plasma of shrimp increased with the increase in dietary taurine level but was not affected by lipid levels. This study indicated dietary 0.2% taurine and 9% lipid-level treatment had the higher growth performance, lower haemolymph parameters and enhanced immune response in white shrimp; however, the present results were not enough to support the assumption that taurine can improve lipid utilization of white shrimp, and further study is suggested to exclude the negative effects from the overdose taurine and lipid level in feed.