Folate in eggs
and developing larvae of Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus
L.
A. Mæland, I. Rønnestad, R. Waagbø-2003
Aquaculture
Nutrition, 9(3) :
185-188
Abstract :
Folate mobilization from the yolk
compartment during larval development was studied by analysing the folate
concentration in whole body, embryo and yolk in a single batch of Atlantic
halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L., eggs and larvae that showed
successful fertilization and development. There was a net loss of approx.
50% of folate from yolk during endogenous feeding. Further, only 23% of the
decrease in yolk folate was retained in the larval body. The data suggest a
need for folate for metabolic and growth purposes during embryogenesis of
approximately 2 µg g-1
weight gain. Relative to these data and published folate requirement for
cold-water species, batches of egg from 16 Atlantic halibut brood fish
contained variable and, for some batches, critically low levels of folate.
This may constitute a potential problem for larval development until start
feeding.
(Institute of Nutrition, Directorate of
Fisheries, P.O. Box 185, N-5804 Bergen, Norway. E-mail of R. Waagbø: rune.waagbo@nutr.fiskeridir.no)