Evaluation dietary effect of Apple cider vinegar on histology of the hepatopancreas and intestinal microbiota of the Litopenaeus vannamei

Inroduction & Organic acids product such as Apple cider vinegar usually alter or reduce bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract and decrease pH in the intestinal tract, thus inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria the host animal. The objectives of this study, was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Apple cider vinegar on total hemocyte count, histology of the hepatopancreas and intestinal microbiota of the Litopenaeus vannamei.
In this study two hundred twenty-five Litopenaeus vannamei with an average initial weight of 10.2 ± 0.04 g, that they were fed diets supplemented with different levels of a Apple cider vingar after 60 days. Treatments included levels of 0, 2% and 4% Apple cider vinegar diets. Shrimp were randomly sampled at the end of the experiment. The hemolymph was withdrawn from abdominal segments of samples for measuring total hemocyte count. The number of the B-cells and R-cells, as well as tubule diameter were quantified for histological examination. Also, the gut microbial fora count (log CFU g-¹) was determined using nutrient agar medium plus salt.
The results indicated that, shrimp fed Apple cider vinegar diets had significantly higher total hemocyte count (p 0.05), whereas the number of the resorptive cells significantly decreased in shrimp fed a diet containing Apple cider vinegar and a dramatic decrease was observed in 2% Apple cider vinegar treatment (p This study was the first reported data on the use of dietary Apple cider vinegar in aquatic animal. These findings indicate that the Apple cider vinegar was introducing suitable organic acid alternative and also it has the greatest potential for use as a diet supplement for L. vannamei.