Effects of cholesterol on growth, feed utilization, body composition and immune parameters in juvenile oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan)

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary cholesterol levels on growth, feed utilization, body composition and immune parameters in juvenile oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense. Six isolipid (80 g kg−1 crude lipid) and isoproteic (400 g kg−1 crude protein) diets, supplemented with 0, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0 and 15.0 g kg−1 cholesterol, were evaluated. Growth performance and feed utilization of M. nipponense were improved as dietary cholesterol levels increased. Weight gain and specific growth rate were highest, and feed conversation ratio was lowest, when prawns were fed a diet supplemented with 9.0 g kg−1 cholesterol. However, final body weights and survival rates of juvenile M. nipponense were not affected significantly by dietary cholesterol. Body composition of prawns, including moisture, crude protein and crude lipid, was not significantly affected by changes in dietary cholesterol. The immune parameters measured in hepatopancreas, including total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione, catalase, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase activities, were at optimum levels in prawns fed with 9.0 g kg−1 dietary cholesterol. In summary, the best growth performance, lowest feed conversation ratio, and the most enhanced antioxidant capacity and immunity parameters were attained in juvenile M. nipponense when fed a diet supplemented with 9.0 g kg−1 cholesterol.