THE EFFECT OF DIETARY ARACHIDONIC ACID CONCENTRATION ON ATLANTIC HALIBUT (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) BROODSTOCK PERFORMANCE. ASSESSMENT OF EGG, MILT AND LARVAL QUALITY


E. Alorend, G. Bell, N. Bromage, D. Paterson, A. Barge, P. Morris, G. Rosenlund.

In order to evaluate the impact of four different diets on halibut broodstock, eight tanks were set up. Each tank contains 15 females and 5 males. The four broodstock diet formulations contained 0.4% ARA, (0.4g ARA/100g dry feed), 0.6% ARA, a control feed not supplemented with ARA and a control feed in which a proportion of the fish meal was replaced with squid meal, to improve palatability. The experimental diets have now been fed for a period of 3 years. The spawning period is regulated by photoperiod. Four tanks spawn in May and the four others spawn in August. A pit tag identifies each fish. This allows individual length and weight data to be collected every 2 months. During the spawning season, milt, eggs, at different developmental stages, and yolk sac larvae are sampled for subsequent biochemical analyses (lipids, fatty acids and PGF2G). Fish fed the enriched ARA diets have shown significantly better growth compared to the other two treatments. During the second spawning season, fish fed on 0.4% ARA significantly improved their whole production. Fatty acid analyses on eggs, yolk sac larvae and milt show significant ARA uptake and deposition relative to the diet.

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To be continued in the next issue


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