Supplemental Effects of AAMC, an Anionic Alkali Mineral Complex, in Diets for Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

A 6-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Anionic Alkali Mineral Complex (AAMC) on growth performance, feed utilization, innate immunity, and disease resistance of L. vannamei. Graded levels of AAMC solution were included in a basal diet; 0% (Control), 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4%. Shrimp fed diets supplemented with 0.2% and 0.4% AAMC had the highest growth performance, and compared to the control treatment, final body weight and specific growth rates were significantly higher (P<0.05). Feed utilization also improved significantly with AAMC supplementation. Non-specific immune responses of shrimp were significantly affected by dietary supplementation of AAMC; total hemocyte count of shrimp fed 0.1% and 0.2% diets was significantly higher the control diet shrimp group. Phenoloxidase and lysozyme activity was significantly higher in shrimp fed 0.2% diet compared to the control diet group. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly enhanced with dietary supplementation of 0.1%–0.2% AAMC. In a challenge test with Vibrio harveyi, shrimp fed 0.2% AAMC disease resistance was significantly higher than in shrimp fed the control diet. Overall, the results indicate that dietary supplement of AAMC improved growth, diet utilization, innate immunity, and disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp and approximately 0.2% in diets appeared to be the optimum supplemental level.