The use of botanical-based additives in the modern aquaculture feeds is being consolidated thanks to their ability to improve the productivity and health of farmed species. These natural additives have shown wide-reaching results in enhancing growth performance, feed efficiency, immune response, and resistance to pathogens. This is driven by botanicals’ direct improvement of digestive enzyme activity, reduction of oxidative stress, and modulation of the gut microbiota.
Diseases caused by various bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral species significantly hinder the productivity of the aquaculture industry, generating substantial losses. Shrimp culture is not an exception and the development of environmentally friendly strategies for controlling shrimp disease is becoming more important each day. This is particularly true for large-scale shrimp farming where stress, bacterial load, and density are critical concerns.
The presentation provided during VIV Aquatic Conference 2025 explored the journey of AviPlus®Aqua in the shrimp industry as a means to secure pond productivity. The lecture offered practical examples of AviPlus®Aqua use from Latin-America to South-East Asia, focusing on its role to maintain shrimp gut health and its versatile use in various settings and applications.
From the lab to the field and from Mexico to China, the presentation reviewed the data on the benefits of AviPlus®Aqua employed in farming conditions and at different stages of development of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).
In general, the dietary inclusion of AviPlus®Aqua enhanced intestinal microflora composition and boosted shrimp immune response. Moreover, the product increased disease resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus (-10% in hepatopancreatic lesions, +19.6% average survival across five different trials) and environmental stress tolerance (from +14% to +31% in survival during salinity stress challenges). Overall, AviPlus®Aqua led to higher pond productivity and yields in high-intensity farming conditions (from 14 to 23% in average biomass increase).