Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Effects of dietary Immunodate supplementation on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immune responses, antioxidant status, and gut microbiota in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mahdi Soltani 1
Ali Heydari 2
Seyed Saeed Mirzargar 2
Ashkan Ajdari 3
Sepideh Asadi 4
Ali Taheri Mirghaed 2
1 Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Australia.
2 Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Off-shore Fisheries Research Centre, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Chabahar, Iran.
4 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
10.22034/cjvs.2026.591569.1084
Abstract
Functional feed additives may improve fish health and reduce antibiotic reliance in aquaculture. This study evaluated the effects of graded dietary inclusion levels of an immunostimulant supplement, Immunodate, on growth performance, feed utilization, digestive enzyme activities, hematological parameters, antioxidant status, and gut microbiota in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). A 60‑day feeding trial was conducted using five dietary treatments containing 0% (control), 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% Immunodate. Dietary supplementation appeared to numerically improve growth efficiency without significant differences among treatments; however, the 1% treatment showed the numerically highest weight gain (87.94 ± 5.60 g) and lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) (1.349 ± 0.032). The 1% and 3% groups exhibited higher lymphocyte counts and lower heterophil values and lymphocyte/heterophil ratios compared to the control (p < 0.05). Antioxidant capacity was also significantly modulated (p < 0.05); catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities peaked in the 1% group, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) reached their highest levels in the 7% and 5% groups, respectively. Regarding gut microbiota, Immunodate supplementation significantly influenced microbial populations (p < 0.05), with the 1% inclusion level yielding the highest counts mannitol egg yolk polymyxin agar (MYPA) (2.55 ± 0.02 × 10⁵ CFU/g), Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) (2.57 ± 0.02 × 10⁵ CFU/g), and tryptic soy agar (TSA) (73.11 ± 12.16 × 10⁸ CFU/g). Overall, dietary inclusion of Immunodate at 1% appeared most effective in enhancing growth efficiency, stimulating beneficial gut microbiota, and reinforcing the immune and antioxidant systems of L. calcarifer.
Keywords
Antioxidant
Digestive enzyme
Growth
Immunodate
Lates calcarifer
Subjects
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Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 09 November 2026

  • Receive Date 13 July 2026
  • Revise Date 03 August 2026
  • Accept Date 04 August 2026