Effects of Dietary Folic Acid Supplementation on Sex Differences in Oriental River Prawn, <i>Macrobrachium nipponense</i>

Abstract

To better understand the sex differences in the utilization of folic acid for male and female prawns, Macrobrachium nipponense, three experimental diets with graded folic acid contents (A: 1.22 mg/kg, B: 5.44 mg/kg, and C: 10.09 mg/kg) were provided to prawns for 8 weeks. The experimental study demonstrated that prawns fed diets containing 1.22 mg/kg showed the best values on body weight gain (BWG), specific growth rate (SGR), and individual weight for both males and females. Male prawns fed above 1.22 mg/kg of dietary folic acid significantly decreased the crude protein contents in their bodies (p p > 0.05). The protease activity of the hepatopancreas in females was significantly (p M. nipponense in response to different dietary folic acid levels and are helpful in promoting the health and growth of aquaculture production of this species.

Keywords

• <i>Macrobrachium nipponense</i>
• folic acid
• sex differences
• growth performance
• antioxidant activity