Effects of dietary butyrate monoglyceride and probiotic of Bacillus on growth performance and enzymatic antioxidant activity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

In this study, the effect of dietary butyrate monoglyceride and probiotic (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) supplementation were evaluated on growth performance and the enzymatic antioxidant activity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were divided into 4 treatments with 3 replications including control, 10g/kg butyrate monoglyceride (AB1), 5g/kg probiotic Bacillus (AB2), 10g/kg butyrate monoglyceride and 5g/kg probiotic Bacillus (AB3). 144 fish with an average weight of 12±0.58g were fed for 8 weeks. This study showed that applying butyrate monoglyceride and probiotic Bacillus in the feeding of Nile tilapia significantly improved the growth indices of final weight gain (FWG), daily weight gain (DWG), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and FCR compared to control (P<0.05). All experimental diets had higher levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity compared to control (P<0.05). However, the highest levels of superoxide dismutase activity were measured in treatment AB3. The present study indicated that singular and combined dietary administration of butyrate monoglyceride and probiotic Bacillus had a significant impact on growth performance, and liver and serum enzymatic antioxidant activity of Nile tilapia.