Phileo by Lesaffre > Aquaculture > Aquaculture Gut Health

Gut health in Aquaculture

Farming environment conditions can adversely disrupt gut health, leading to dysbiosis caused by pathogenic bacteria and parasites, gut inflammation, impaired gut function, stress due to water quality, pollutants etc. Gut health problems can be hard to predict and are generated by the interaction of host-specific intrinsic characteristics with factors such as environment microbiome, nutritional status, feed quality, biotic and abiotic stressors. Risk mitigating strategies using yeast probiotics and postbiotics can be key to assure an optimal gut health, microbiota balance and zootechnical performance.

Reduced gut inflammation and microbiota modulation

Gut inflammation is well-known to affect carnivorous fish fed with high plant ingredients, such as Atlantic salmon. However, feed ingredient matrix can also affect omnivorous species such as Nile tilapia. Actisaf^® is proven to significantly reduce the expression of stress related and inflammatory cytokines in the gut mucosa of tilapia fed on different plant ingredients. Actisaf^® can also support tilapia microbiota by increasing in the abundance of the bacteria genus Lactococcus sp. in the allochthonous microbiota.

Improved gut structure and feed efficiency

Assuring a well-developed gut morphological structure is key to guarantee an optimal nutrient digestion and absorption, and of high importance to enhance gut barrier against pathogens. Actisaf^® significantly increases the gut microvilli length and height in different species such as tilapia and pangasius, with positive impacts on protein and fiber digestibility. Actisaf^® benefits on improving feed conversion ratio is proven and documented in tilapia, pangasius, common carp, rainbow trout and shrimp.

Supporting overall health status

A stable microbiota and a strong gut can not only improve growth and feed efficiency, but also improve the immune ability of the animal and the overall health status. Actisaf^® benefits can also improve the response of the antioxidant and innate immune system of tilapia and rainbow trout, improving the activity of enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, complement activity system, and consequently increase fish survival in different environmental conditions.