The growth performance and nonspecific immunity of loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus as affected by dietary β-1,3-glucan.

Four diets supplemented with three different levels of β-1,3-glucan (0.5, 1, and 2 g kg-1) were formulated and tested for growth, intestine digestive-enzyme activities, PO, SOD and GPx activities and erythrocytes number, phagocytic percentage of erythrocytes and lysozyme activity and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus. A diet without any β-1,3-glucan served as the control. After 60 days of feeding, the growth performance, intestine digestive-enzyme activities, nonspecific immunity, and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of P. dabryanus were higher than those of the control when the loaches P. dabryanus were fed with β-1,3-glucan-containing diets. Results revealed that dietary β-1,3-glucan can improve the growth performance, intestine digestive-enzyme activities, PO, SOD and GPx activities and erythrocytes number, phagocytic percentage of erythrocytes and lysozyme activity and resistance of loaches P. dabryanus and can thus be used as their diet supplement.