Dietary nucleotides improve the growth performance, antioxidative capacity and intestinal morphology of turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus )

Abstract A growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effects and safety of nucleotides in low fish meal diets on the growth performance, antioxidative capacity and intestinal morphology of turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus ). High fish meal control diet was formulated with 500 g kg −1 fish meal. Seven levels (0.075, 0.15, 0.225, 0.300, 1.5 and 3.0 g kg −1 , respectively) of nucleotides were added to a low fish meal basal diet, which was formulated with 400 g kg −1 fish meal. The eight experimental diets were fed to groups of juvenile turbot (initial weight: 6.0 ± 0.03 g) for 60 days. Results showed that compared with high fish meal control diet, low fish meal basal diet treatment had lower total antioxidative capacity (T‐ AOC ), glutathione peroxidase activity, fold height of proximal and distal intestine, enterocyte height of all evaluated enteric section and microvillus height of mid‐intestine and distal intestine ( P  <   0.05). However, supplemented nucleotides in diets could significantly improve growth (specific growth rate, SGR ), feed utilization, antioxidative capacity and intestinal morphology of turbot ( P  <   0.05). Broken‐line regression analysis of SGR and T‐ AOC showed that the optimal supplemental levels of dietary nucleotide for juvenile turbot were 0.366 and 0.188 g kg −1 , respectively. In summary, 0.300 g kg −1 of dietary nucleotides was helpful in improving growth, feed utilization, antioxidative capacity and intestinal morphology of turbot fed with low fish meal diet. Excessive dietary nucleotides (3.0 g kg −1 ) might cause oxidative stress and morphological damage in intestine and then reduce the growth of turbot.