Macrobrachium rosenbergii fed with essential oil from Lippia alba in the diet in low and high stocking density

This study aimed to examine the zootechnical performance, whole‐body composition, activity of digestive enzymes and histology of hepatopancreas of Macrobrachium rosenbergii fed diets incorporated with essential oil from Lippia alba (EOLA) in low (LSD ‐ 50 prawns m−2) and high (HSD ‐ 100 prawns m−2) stocking density. Three diets were formulated; each containing increasing levels of EOLA (0.00 [control], 0.5 and 1.0%) in triplicate for 70 days. Water quality, survival and growth did not differ between treatments. Crude protein was higher in prawns that received 0.5% EOLA in HSD than in LSD. The ethereal extract was higher in prawns in LSD than in HSD fed with EOLA. In addition, the ethereal extract was higher in animals fed diets with 1.0 than 0.0% EOLA in LSD. Prawns that received 0.0 and 1.0% EOLA, respectively, had significantly higher chymotrypsin and alkaline protease activity. In general, the activity of digestive enzymes increased in prawns fed with EOLA in HSD. Histological analyses of the hepatopancreas in all treatments proved to be healthy. In conclusion, the digestive enzymatic activity and crude protein were higher in HSD than in LSD, indicating that EOLA added to the diet is more critical for prawns reared in HSD. In addition, the intensive production of M. rosenbergii can be optimized in HSD (100 prawns m−2) with 1.0% EOLA in the diet.