An 8-week study was conducted to evaluate three different diets supplemented with bovine lactoferrin (LF) at 0 (control), 800, and 1200 mg LF kg-1 diet on somatic growth, hemato-immunological parameters, antioxidant status, and digestive enzyme activities in silvery-black porgy (Sparidentex hasta) juveniles. Fish fed the 800 mg LF kg-1 diet had higher growth performance and feed utilization parameters than the other groups. Hematological and liver antioxidant parameters were not affected by dietary LF supplementation. Fish fed the 800 mg LF kg-1 diet had higher plasma lysozyme activity values than the other groups. Total protease activity was higher in fish fed LF-supplemented diets than the control group. Results indicated that diet supplemented with 800 mg kg-1 for 8 weeks enhanced somatic growth performance, lysozyme activity, and proteolytic digestive enzyme activities in S. hasta, as well as improving feed efficiency parameters like the protein efficiency and feed conversion ratios.
Keywords: Antioxidant status; Feed utilization; Immunostimulants; Non-specific immune response; Sparidae.