Effect of dietary lipid level on growth performance, feed utilization and digestive enzyme of juvenile ivory shell, Babylonia areolate

Abstract A growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary lipid levels on growth performance, feed utilization, carcass composition and digestive enzymes of juvenile ivory shell. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic experimental diets (43% crude protein and 15.46 kJ/g diet) using Pollack fish oil as the lipid source, were formulated to contain six lipid levels (1.83, 3.83, 5.91,7.80, 9.76 and 11.73% dry diet, respectively). Triplicate groups of 50 shells (average weight 160.50 ± 1.20 mg) were stocked in 120-l tanks and fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 10 weeks. The results showed that growth performance and feed utilization were significantly affected by dietary lipid levels ( P P P P