Could Dietary Black Soldier Fly Meal Inclusion Affect the Liver and Intestinal Histological Traits and the Oxidative Stress Biomarkers of Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) Juveniles?

• Published in: Animals
• Main Authors: Caimi, C, Gasco, L, Biasato, I, Malfatto, V, Varello, K, Prearo, M, Pastorino, P, Bona, MC, Francese, DR, Schiavone, A, Elia, AC, Dörr, AJM, Gai, F
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: gut histochemistry; Hermetia illucen; insect meal; liver histology; oxidative stress biomarker; Siberian sturgeon; Acipenser baerii
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2318/1724740; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10010155

The trial investigates if a highly defatted Hermetia illucens larva meal (H) at two dietary inclusion levels and a vegetable protein based diet (VEG) influences the normal gut and liver histology and the oxidative stress biomarkers in liver and kidney of Siberian sturgeon juveniles. Fish were fed four diets: one control diet (H0) containing 70% of fishmeal (FM), two diets including 18.5% (H185) and 37.5% (H375) of highly defatted H in substitution for 25% and 50% of FM, and one vegetable protein based diet (VEG). At the end of a growth trial, 12 fish per treatment were sacrificed by over-anaesthesia to collect 12 liver and 5 distal intestine samples for histological analyses, as well as 12 liver and kidney samples for biochemical analyses. The H and VEG diets did not significantly affect the histology of liver and distal intestine, but alterations of the oxidative stress biomarkers were detected at the highest inclusion level of H (37.5%). In order to avoid unfavorable effects on the fish health, an inclusion level up to 18.5% of H is recommended for Siberian sturgeon juveniles.