The Impact of Fish Meal Replacement on the Hepatopancreas Health of Pacific White Shrimp
Author：Lachance
Time：2026-10-21
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In the past two years, the prices of marine raw materials (fish meal, fish oil, etc.) have skyrocketed, making fish meal replacement more urgent and pressing. However, this replacement will inevitably have a significant impact on animal health.Judging from the Pacific white shrimp farming this year, after stocking at the PL10 stage, the hepatopancreas transition period is uneven with poor capsule formation. Even after 30 days, the hepatopancreas capsule may gradually degenerate. Microscopic observation of wet mounts shows atrophy of hepatic tubules and a reduction in lipid droplets. This indicates that the shrimp's hepatopancreas has suffered relatively severe damage, which will inevitably have a major impact on subsequent survival and growth rates.We analyze that this situation is caused by an insufficient nutritional supply to the hepatopancreas, particularly a lack of unsaturated fatty acids. To make up for the nutritional deficiency caused by the reduced use of fish meal and fish oil, the first solution is to use other lipid raw materials as substitutes; the second is to supplement feed additives to promote the efficient utilization of feed lipids, especially the efficient utilization of the limited fish meal and fish oil.Shrimp are relatively lower-order animals. Unlike higher animals, they cannot secrete bile acids—the substance that promotes the absorption and utilization of lipids—on their own. Therefore, for shrimp, exogenous bile acid feed additives can be supplemented to promote the absorption and utilization of unsaturated fatty acids in the feed, providing sufficient nutrition for the development and health of the hepatopancreas.So, how do bile acids promote the absorption and utilization of lipids?Bile acids primarily promote lipid utilization through the following 3 aspects:
- Emulsification: Acting as an emulsifier to emulsify fats.
- Digestion: Activating lipase. The hydrolysis of triacylglycerols is primarily catalyzed by pancreatic lipase, converting them into monoacylglycerols and free fatty acids.
- Absorption: Monoacylglycerols and fatty acids combine with bile salts and other lipids to form micelles, which enter the intestinal microvilli and are absorbed by the intestinal epithelial cells.
Application Cases of Bile Acids
After stocking Pacific white shrimp, adding bile acids to the feed results in the following changes during the hepatopancreas transition period:
The white membrane of the hepatopancreas forms quickly, the capsule is wrapped tightly, and the uniformity of the white membrane formation is good.
- Microscopic Observation of Hepatopancreas Development
The development of the hepatopancreas presents a chrysanthemum shape (abundant hepatic tubules), the hepatopancreatic tubules have good smoothness, and lipid droplets are rich.
In addition to promoting lipid utilization and providing nutrition for hepatopancreas development, bile acids can also help excrete toxins. Because of this, bile acids have become an important solution for maintaining the hepatopancreas health of Pacific white shrimp after fish meal replacement.[1] Dai Weikun, Chen Kaijian, Dai Jihong, et al. Metabolic Characteristics and Application Research Progress of Bile Acids in Aquatic Animals [J]. Modern Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, 2026, (3): 75-81. DOI:10.20154/j.cnki.issn1672-9692.2026.03.015. [2] Wang Yuanyuan, Li Xiaoqin, Yao Wenxiang, et al. Effects of Dietary Bile Acids and Cholesterol Supplementation in Low Fish Meal Diets on the Growth and Hepatopancreas Health of Litopenaeus vannamei [J]. Journal of Fisheries of China, 2026, 50(7): 130-141.
