Effects of dietary soybean lecithin on growth performance, blood chemistry and immunity in juvenile stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus)

An eleven weeks feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of dietary soybean lecithin (SBL) on growth performance, blood chemistry and immunity in juvenile stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus). Fish were fed seven isoproteic (44% crude protein) and isolipidic (17% crude fat) diets containing graded levels of SBL: 0 (control), 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10%. Results showed that dietary SBL supplementation significantly improved the final body weight (BW) and weight gain (WG). Fish fed 6% SBL showed the highest BW and WG values in comparison to fish fed the control diet (P < 0.05), whereas increasing SBL levels above 6% had little practical benefit in terms of somatic growth performance. The inclusion of SBL in diets significantly improved the immune response as data from lysozyme, total Ig levels, alternative complement, phagocytic and bactericidal activities indicated (P 4%, >2% and 2% SBL, respectively (P