| Abstract: | Wheat is used in shrimp feed as protein and energy sources, as well as a nutritive binder that promotes water stability. However, wheat may be contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON or vomitoxin) when wet weather conditions prevail during the growing season. Deoxynivalenol‐contaminated wheat was added to shrimp diet to obtain DON levels of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm. Pelleted diets were fed 3 times daily until satiation to Pacific white shrimp Liropenaeus vanna‐mei. Biological performance (live weight, weekly growth increment, feed conversion ratio, and survival) was determined biweekly for 16 wk. Histological characteristics of shrimp were determined on samples obtained after 8 and 16 wk of growth. The DON levels in ground wheat, feed mash, pellets, and freeze‐dried shrimp were determined using thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography. Deoxynivalenol levels of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm in the diet significantly reduced shrimp body weight and/or growth rate. However, the effects of 0.2 and 0.5 ppm DON were manifested at later stages of shrimp growth, and 0.2 ppm DON significantly affected only growth rate and not body weight (P > 0.05). Feed conversion ratio and survival of shrimp fed diets containing 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm DON were not significantly different from those of shrimp fed the control diet (0.0 ppm DON). After 16 wk of growth, no DON was detected in freeze‐dried shrimp, and no consistent difference was observed in the histological organ profiles of shrimp fed diets containing various levels of DON. Because low levels of DON in the diet can significantly reduce body weight and growth rate of shrimp, feed ingredients should be monitored for DON. |
