Comparison of different types and levels of commercial soybean lecithin supplemented in semipurified diets for juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei Boone

Two 6-week growth trials were conducted to determine the dietary phospholipids (PL) requirement of Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles and to compare the effect of different types of soybean lecithin on shrimp growth and survival. In the first trial, a basal diet and diets containing 1.5, 3 or 5% (dry-weight basis) of Type I lecithin (97.6% PL) and 1.5 or 3% of Type II lecithin (71.4% PL) were evaluated. In the second trial, the basal diet and diets containing 1, 2 or 4% of either Type I or Type II lecithin and 1 or 2% of Type III lecithin (48.4% PL) were evaluated. Results showed that there was no interaction between lecithin type and PL level on shrimp growth or survival. Shrimp growth increased with PL levels up to 3–5% of diet. No significant differences were observed for instantaneous growth rate (IGR) of shrimp fed the different types of lecithin at the same inclusion level, and no effect of PL level and lecithin type on shrimp survival was found. Thus, the recommended level of PL supplementation in diets for L. vannamei juveniles ranges from 3 to 5% of diet.