Effect of ginger, Zingiber officinale extract on growth performance, digestive enzyme and stress tolerance of whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of ginger extract as a feed additive on the growth performance, digestive enzymes, and resistance to environmental stress of the whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. 1200 juveniles were randomly allocated into four groups with three replicates. Shrimps were fed diets supplemented with 0 (T0-control), 0.5 (T1), 1 (T2), and 1.5 g kg-1 of ginger extract (T3) for 56 days. The results indicated that shrimp fed with ginger extract had a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the control. In addition, shrimp fed with 0.5 g kg-1 of ginger extract had significantly greater weight gain and protease activity in the intestine than those in the control group. However, dietary supplementation with ginger extract did not significantly affect survival rates. After 56 days of culture, shrimp fed with 0.5 and 1 g kg-1 of ginger extract had higher survival rates than the controls after 72 – 96 h exposure to high ammonia stress (40 mg L-1). Based on the study’s findings, ginger extract could be recommended for shrimp feed to enhance growth and resistance against stress factors, and the optimal level is 0.5 g kg-1.