The current study investigated the effects of different pellet binders on the pellet quality, growth performance, hemolymph biochemistry, and intestinal morphology of whiteleg shrimp for 3 months. The shrimp were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (three replicates/ group) in a polyethylene circular tank containing seawater. Experimental treatments included, the control group fed with the basal diet (BD) (G1, no pellet binder), and G2, G3, and G4 received the BD containing different pellet binders, including calcium lignosulphonate (at 1 % of diet), starch + gum based-binder (at 0.4 % of diet), and polymethyl carbamide (PMC) (at 0.5 % of diet), respectively. Different binders improved the pellet quality parameters, including water stability, leaching rate (p≥0.05), and water activity (p≤0.05), with a particularly pronounced improvement effect in the PMC-bound pellets. No differences (p≥0.05) were found in shrimp growth and feed efficiency utilization, whole body composition of nutrients, and digestive enzyme activities in response to the different pellet binders. The diets processed with starch+ gum, as well as lignosulfonate binders, resulted in higher glucose levels in shrimp hemolymph. Feeding shrimp with pellet binders significantly reduced hemolymph concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoproteins, and very low-density lipoprotein, with the most pronounced reductions occurring in the PMC and starch + gum-based binder groups (p≤0.05). In conclusion, the pellet binders evaluated in this study were beneficial in enhancing pellet quality; however, they did not improve shrimp growth performance. Polymethyl carbamide (an inclusion level of 0.5% of diet), gave the best results in both pellet quality and performance. However, findings suggest that PMC is more suitable for short-term application during shrimp culture. Also, suggest that starch+ gum-based binder could be used as a practical alternative to PMC since it enhances pellet quality and nutritional characteristics, while supporting shrimp performance without adverse impacts. |
