Influence of Various Feed Additives on Aquatic Animals as Mediated by the

Gastrointestinal Tract
Source: Delbert M. Gatlin III and Alejandro Buentello - Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences and Faculty of Nutrition, Texas
A&M University System, College Station, Texas, USA
(dated 17/06/2011)

Abstract

In recent years, heightened attention has been given to the development of nutritional strategies and
dietary supplements that positively influence immunity and disease resistance of aquacultured
organisms to lessen dependence on chemotherapeutics and reduce the economic losses from disease-
related mortality. Thus, a wide variety of feed additives intended to improve growth, health and
immunocompetence have been evaluated with numerous production animals including various aquatic
species. Some of these feed additives include non-nutritive immunostimulatory compounds including
microbial cells or cellular fractions such as brewer’s yeast, beta-glucans, peptidoglycans, chitin and
oligonucleotides. Other additives such as probiotics or live microbial diet supplements and prebiotics,
which are non-digestible components that alter the gastrointestinal tract conditions to promote certain
favorable bacteria, also have become more extensively studied with aquatic species in recent years.
Acidifiers, essential oils and other herbal extracts that also may affect the GI tract have been studied
less extensively with aquatic organisms. Even some nutrients such as the amino acids arginine and
glutamine have received more attention recently in terms of their influences on GI tract functions and
metabolism. It is becoming increasingly apparent that various responses of the non-specific (innate)
and adaptive immune systems may be up-regulated by such dietary components, leading to enhanced
disease resistance. However, there is relatively limited information on how these various dietary
factors influence the digestive, absorptive and immune functions associated with the GI tract. An
enhanced understanding of the mechanisms by which these feed additives influence the GI tract is
needed to optimize diets and feeding regimes to potentially enhance growth, immunocompetence and
disease resistance of various aquatic species. Specific examples concerning application of these
various feed additives to enhance growth, immunocompetence and disease resistance of aquatic
species will be presented.

Presentation given at World Aquaculture 2011, held in Natal, Brazil (6-10 June 2011)

Author

Delbert M. Gatlin III

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Faculty of Nutrition
Texas A&M University System
College Station, Texas 77843-2258
d-gatlin@tamu.edu

For further information on World Aquaculture 2011, feel free to contact:

Feedinfo News Service - Influence of Various Feed Additives on Aquatic Animals as ... Page 2 of 2

Valley Center, CA 92082

USA
Tel: +1 760 751 5005
Fax: +1 760 751 5003
Email: worldaqua@aol.com

© Feedinfo News Service 2011 - All rights

reserved

http://www.feedinfo.com/console/PageViewer.aspx?page=2301509&print=yes 07/31/2011