Synbiotic feed supplementation improves antioxidant response and innate immunity of juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer subjected to bacterial infection

The positive effect of dietary synbiotic supplementation on fish exposed to bacterial infection is poorly researched. The present study addressed the knowledge gap of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus casei and garlic, Allium sativum, termed as synbiotic on the growth performance, lipid utilization, antioxidant activities, skin mucosal status, cytokine gene expression and intestinal epithelial responses following Vibrio harveyi infection in juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer. Juvenile barramundi with an initial weight of 9.16 ± 0.08 g were randomly allocated into 8 tanks of 300 L capacity each at a density of 20 fish per tank. The quadruplicate groups were fed either a non-supplemented control diet or the same control diet supplemented with 1% of garlic powder and 1% of L. casei (10⁹…