Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae postbiotics on growth performance and feed utilization of Nile Tilapia fingerlings

Abstract

Aquaculture is a major contributor to global food and nutrition security, yet its productivity is constrained by challenges such as slow growth and high disease prevalence in cultured species. The use of functional feed additives has emerged as a sustainable alternative to antibiotics. With the potential to improve growth performance and enhance fish health. This study evaluated the effects of the growth performance and nutrient utilization of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). A feeding trial was conducted in which monosex tilapia fingerlings were randomly distributed into four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design, each with three replications and a stocking density of 25 fish per tank. The basal diet (30% crude protein; 3000 kcal DE/kg) was supplemented with SCFP at 0g/kg (control), 2 g/kg, 4g/kg, or 6g/kg. Fish were fed three times daily at approximately 3% of their body weight for the duration of the trial. Growth performance and feed utilization parameters were monitored biweekly and analyzed at the end of the experiment. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and significant means were separated using Tukey’s test at a significance level of p>0.05. Fingerlings fed the 4g/kg diet exhibited the highest growth performance, followed by those receiving 6 g/kg and 2 g/kg, while the control group showed significantly lower performance. No significant differences were observed between the 4g/kg and 6g/kg groups. Survival was significantly lower in the control, but did not significantly differ among supplemented groups. Overall, the findings demonstrate that dietary supplementation with yeast-based postbiotics, particularly 4g/kg, can effectively enhance growth performance and support improved production efficiency in tilapia aquaculture.