Effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide on the survival, growth, immunity and digestive enzyme activity of freshwater crayfish, Cherax destructor Clark (1936)

• Published in: Aquaculture nutrition Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. e629 - e635
• Main Authors: SANG, H.M., FOTEDAR, R., FILER, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2011
• Subjects: Bio-Mos; Cambaridae; Cherax destructor; digestive enzyme; Freshwater; mannan oligosaccharide; prebiotic; yabby
• ISSN: 1353-5773; 1365-2095
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2095.2010.00812.x

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Bio‐Mos® as a source of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on the growth, survival, immunity and digestive enzyme activity of freshwater crayfish, Cherax destructor (yabby). A basal diet and another diet with 0.4% of Bio‐Mos® supplemented to the basal diet were formulated. Each diet was provided to eight yabbies (35.14 ± 0.48 g, initial weight) replicated 3 times in individual 250‐L plastic cylindrical tanks for a duration of 56 days. Each tank was provided with an independent recirculating water system filtered with a biological filtration. Growth parameters such as weight, specific growth rate and average weekly gain of Bio‐Mos®‐fed yabbies were higher (P < 0.05) than yabbies fed the control diet. Total haemocyte count, granular cells and semi‐granular cells were also higher in the yabbies fed Bio‐Mos® diet. Protease activity was higher in hepatopancreas, and amylase activity was higher in the guts of yabbies fed Bio‐Mos® diet. The results implies that supplementation of MOS through Bio‐Mos® can effectively improve growth and immunological condition of yabbies.