Effects of Yu-Ping-Feng polysaccharides (YPP) on the growth performance, intestinal health and lipid metabolism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of Yupingfeng polysaccharides (YPP), polysaccharides compound, on the growth performance, intestinal health, and lipid metabolism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The attractive effects of YPP on largemouth bass through ball biting test, and further determine the concentration gradient of YPP. Four iso-nitrogenous diets were prepared by mixing and stirring 0%, 2%, 4%, and 8% YPP to commercial feed. A total of 360 fish with an initial weight of 20 ± 0.5 g were randomly assigned to 12 tanks (4 dietary groups × 3 replicates) in a recirculation system and fed twice daily for 4 weeks. The orthogonal polynomial contrasts showed that dietary YPP levels had significant interactions with growth performance, intestinal health and lipid metabolism. Pearson correlation analysis showed that fish growth was closely correlated with intestinal health, liver health, lipid metabolism and brain feeding related gene expression (P < 0.05). Overall, the results indicated that adding moderate dose of YPP to the diet could promote the growth performance, feeding ability, lipid metabolism ability, and protect intestinal and liver health of largemouth bass.