Effects of dietary soybean lecithin on growth performance, feed utilization and hematological parameters of juvenile sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta)

Abstract

The current study aimed to evaluate effects of four levels (0, 2, 4 and 6 % of diet) of soybean lecithin in the isoproteic and isoenergitic (50% protein and 18.5 kj/g) diets on growth performance, feed utilization and hematological parameters of juvenile sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta) with initial weight of 37.9±0.16 g. At the end of 56 days of feeding trial, results showed that growth performance increased with increasing dietary lecithin from 0 to 6%; however, growth decreased with increasing dietary lecithin from 6 to 9%. Fish fed the 6% lecithin diet had the highest final weight (86.19±2.99 g), weight gain (48.41±3.6 g) and specific growth rate (1.47±0.07) (p<0.05). Survival rate, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios as well as hematological parameters were not changed in different groups (p>0.05). The results of this research showed that, inclusion of 6% of soybean lecithin in diet for sobaity seabream juvenile is optimum for improving growth performance parameters in this species.