Immune Response and Resistance to Stress and Edwardsiella ictaluri Challenge in Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Fed Diets Containing Commercial Whole‐Cell Yeast or Yeast Subcomponents

Abstract Dietary supplementation of yeast or yeast subcomponents (YYS) as commercial preparations of β‐glucan (MacroGard®; Biotec‐Mackzymal, Tromsø, Norway; and Betagard A®; Aqua‐In‐Tech, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA), mannan oligosaccharide (Bio‐Mos™ Aqua Grade; Alltech, Nicholasville, KY, USA), or whole‐cell Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Levucell SB20®; Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI, USA) at the manufacturer’s recommended levels was evaluated on the physiological performance of juvenile channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Fish were fed YYS diets for 4 wk, followed by 2 wk of control diet. Fish were sampled at the end of each feeding period (4 and 6 wk) to measure hematological and immune parameters and growth and to determine the effects of dietary β‐glucan on resistance to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection and to low‐water stress (6 wk). Supplementation of YYS in diets did not affect growth performance, hematology, or immune function. Survival from E. ictaluri infection was from 5 to 17.5% higher in fish fed YYS diets than in the control group, but the increases were not significant. Some improvement in stress resistance was observed in YYS‐fed catfish after exposure to low‐water stress. Stress reduction in fish fed diets supplemented with yeast subcomponents has been reported previously, but thus far, no explanation has been proposed for this effect. The present study and the previously published research suggest that dietary YYS supplementation does not appear to improve resistance of channel catfish to E. ictaluri.