Effects of dietary n-3HUFA levels on growth, antioxidant capacity, and ovarian development in Litopenaeus vannamei broodstock shrimp

The present study investigated the effects of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) on the growth, antioxidant capacity, and ovarian development of female Litopenaeus vannamei broodstock. Five experimental diets with varying levels of n-3 HUFA (2.00 %, 2.50 %, 3.50 %, 5.00 %, and 7.00 %) were formulated and fed to female shrimp over a 10-week period. The growth performance, biochemical indices in the hepatopancreas, ovary, and serum, as well as antioxidant enzyme activities, were measured. The results indicated that moderate n-3 HUFA supplementation (3.50–5.00 %) significantly enhanced weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and gonadosomatic index (GSI), while higher or lower levels of n-3 HUFA did not show significant improvement in these parameters. Antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), showed optimal activities in shrimp fed diets with 3.50–5.00 % n-3 HUFA. Furthermore, serum and ovarian biochemical indicators, such as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and glucose (Glu), were positively influenced by dietary n-3 HUFA. Hormonal analysis revealed that estradiol (E2) and vitellogenin (VTG) levels in the serum and ovaries were significantly higher in the 5.00 % n-3 HUFA group, supporting enhanced reproductive performance. We recommend an n-3 HUFA level of 5.28–5.48 % in feed, based on the SGR and GSI fitting curves. • Adding 5.28–5.48 % n-3 HUFA to the feed results in the best WGR and GSI indices for female shrimps. • Adding n-3HUFA is beneficial as it can enhance the antioxidant capacity of female shrimps. • An appropriate level of n3-HUFA can enhance the reproductive performance of female shrimp.