Evaluation of the impact of a diet supplemented with dry brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and medicinal plants on shrimp (Litopenaeus vanammei) growth

Weight and length gain were estimated in whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei fed with a bitter dry brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) combined with cereals, such as corn and soya, and medicinal plants, such as guava, basil, and eucalyptus, to achieve optimal development. The present study was carried out at the aquaculture bioassay laboratory, from July to October 2019, with an experimental design that included two treatments, one with VIMIFOS commercial feed and the other with a feed based on dry brewer’s yeast and medicinal plants. The feed was administered four times per day at a 7% bodyweight ratio, obtaining similar length gains of around 5.5 cm by the end of the experiment for both treatments, while a mean final weight gain of 9.5 g was obtained with commercial feed, which was higher than the 7.2 g mean final weight gain obtained with brewer’s yeast. The organisms fed with brewer’s yeast were found to be less light sensitive, indicating that they presented less stress in the presence of light, while those organisms fed with commercial feed tended to jump out of the container. Brewer’s yeast-based feed is as efficient as commercial feed, but with the advantage that the production costs are lower.