The effects of concurrent supplementation of dietary phytase, citric acid and vitamin D3 on growth and mineral utilization in juvenile yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco

Abstract This experiment was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of phytase, citric acid and vitamin D 3 on the digestibility coefficients, growth performance, body composition, and vertebral and serum mineral contents in juvenile yellow catfish ( Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ). The study used 1200 juvenile yellow catfish in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (0 and 500 IU phytase kg − 1 feed, 0 and 2 g citric acid kg − 1 feed, and 2000 and 4000 IU vitamin D 3  kg − 1 feed). Triplicate groups of 50 fish with an initial single body weight of 3 g ± 0.0 g per tank were fed to satiety for eight weeks. 500 IU phytase kg − 1 feed addition significantly increased (P  − 1 feed significantly increased (P  3 significantly increased (P  3 supplementation was observed. In addition, no significant interactions were observed among or between phytase, citric acid and vitamin D 3 on the growth or mineral utilization of juvenile yellow catfish.