Effects of Clostridium butyricum spores on growth performance, biochemical parameters in serum, intestinal flora and short-chain fatty acid content ofPaneaus vannamei

Objective  To investigate the effects of feeding Clostridium butyricum (CB) spores on the growth performance, biochemical parameters in serum, intestinal flora composition and contents of five short-chain fatty acids of Paneaus vannamei juvenile.

Method  Basic diets were supplemented with CB spore product of 0, 0.050%, 0.075% and 0.100% mass fraction (The viable counts of bacteria in the diets were 0, 2.50×10⁵, 3.75×10⁵ and 5.00×10⁵ CFU/g respectively). The P. vannamei juveniles with (1.42 ± 0.02) g initial body weight of each were fed for 30 days, and growth performance, serum biochemical indicators, intestinal flora composition and short chain fatty acid contents were detected.

Result  Compared to the control group, the final body weights of the shrimps after 30 days feeding trial in the 0.050% and 0.075% CB groups significantly increased (P<0.05), and the weight gain rate significantly increased in the 0.050% CB group (P<0.05). The glucose concentration in serum of the 0.075% CB group and urea nitrogen concentration in serum of the 0.100% CB group significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the phosphorus concentration in serum of the 0.050% CB group significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of Planctomycetes and Patescibacteria significantly increased in the 0.050% CB group (P<0.05), while the relative abundance ofVibrio significantly reduced in the 0.050% and 0.075% CB groups (P<0.05). The diversity analysis indicated that the intestinal flora compositions were similar between the 0.050% and 0.075% CB groups, which were quite different from those of the control and 0.100% CB group. The intestinal contents of five short-chain fatty acids increased with dietary CB addition.

Conclusion  The supplementation of CB spore in diets helps to inhibit the proliferation of intestinal pathogens and increase the contents of intestinal short chain fatty acids, thus may enhance the nutrients utilization and growth performance of P. vannamei juvenile. In this study, the appropriate amount of Clostridium butyricum spore in diet is 2.50×10⁵ or 3.75×10⁵ CFU/g.