Effects of short‐term starvation periods on flesh quality in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in different seasons

Possible effects of short‐term starvation on flesh quality in Arctic charr were studied in spring (March) and summer (August). Groups of juvenile Arctic charr (mean weight March 536 g ± 24; August 461 g ± 15 SEM) were starved for 1, 2 and 4 weeks (March) and 1, 2 and 3 (August). After each starvation period, the fish were slaughtered, and flesh samples collected in order to investigate quality and textural properties in the different experimental groups. Starvation had a positive effect on flesh quality giving firmer texture and lower gaping scores. Starved fish had lower cathepsin activity at slaughter, and a similar difference was seen one‐week post mortem. The results showed that the effect of starvation period was seasonally dependent. Starvation had a larger effect in summer, where a three‐week starvation resulted in firmer texture, whereas this was not seen during spring.     

不同饥饿时间对白斑狗鱼恢复投喂期间生长性能的影响

在水温22~26℃条件下,研究了在不同饥饿时间处理后再投喂对白斑狗鱼(Esox lucius)生长性能的影响,试验设置饥饿14、21、28、35、42 d组和正常投喂对照组,各组饥饿结束后恢复正常投饵,在投喂后以7 d为一个生长阶段,比较各处理组的增重率、特定生长率、摄食率、饲料系数,试验周期为56 d。结果显示,随着饥饿时间的延长,白斑狗鱼的总体重损失率呈逐渐升高的趋势,而各饥饿阶段体重损失率呈下降的趋势;各饥饿处理组恢复投喂后的增重率和特定生长率均显著高于对照组(P<0.05),且随饥饿时间的延长而逐渐升高,但在恢复投喂后的第35天,S14组(饥饿14 d组)与对照组无显著性差异(P>0.05);各饥饿处理组恢复投喂后的摄食率随饥饿时间的延长而显著性升高(P<0.05);饵料系数随饥饿时间的延长而逐渐下降,其中在第14天时,S42组(饥饿42 d组)的饵料系数显著高于其他饥饿处理组(P<0.05),与对照组无显著性差异(P>0.05)。在同一饥饿处理组,随着投喂时间的延长,增重率、特定生长率和摄食率均呈显著性下降的趋势(P<0.05),饵料系数呈升高的趋势,其中S14组在第35天时恢复到对照组水平。结果表明:摄食率升高和饵料系数下降是饥饿再投喂白斑狗鱼增重率显著上升的原因,且这种生长倾向随着恢复投喂时间的延长而不断减弱。     

Compensatory Growth of Pond-reared Hybrid Striped Bass, Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis, Fingerlings

Compensatory growth (CG) or “catch‐up growth” is a period of super‐accelerated growth following a period of suboptimal conditions (i.e., lack of prey availability or overwintering). Little is known about the CG response in pond‐raised fish and whether hybrid striped bass (HSB), Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis, might exhibit the rapid growth states or improvements in other production characteristics that may accompany the response. To evaluate the potential for CG in HSB culture, a 16‐wk growth trial in twelve 0.1‐ha earthen ponds was conducted. Approximately 2850 fish (mean weight ± SD = 3.2 g ± 1.1) were stocked into ponds and subjected to one of four cyclic feeding regimens. Treatment regimens included a control (0 wk, fed twice daily to apparent satiation) and cycles of 1, 2, or 4 wk of feed deprivation, followed by 1, 2, or 4 wk of feeding to apparent satiation. Fish in the 4‐wk feeding regimen were offered feed twice during the feed‐deprivation period (once every other week). Growth, specific growth rate (SGR), hepatosomatic index (HSI), intraperitoneal fat ratio, and condition factor (CF) were measured every other week, while overall growth, feed efficiency (FE) (FE = [weight gain/feed fed] × 100), and survival were calculated at the trial termination. The effect of these feeding regimens on water quality was examined by monitoring pH, turbidity, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite–nitrogen, nitrate–nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphorus, and chlorophyll a weekly; total nitrogen and phosphorous biweekly; and dissolved oxygen and temperature twice daily. Cyclic feeding elicited CG; fish subjected to the 2‐wk regimen had a significantly higher SGR than 0‐wk controls during all but the final refeeding period. FE was higher for all fish in the cyclic regimens, although only FE for fish in the 2‐wk regimen was statistically greater (40%) than the controls. HSI was the most responsive measure and significantly decreased in the 2‐ and 4‐wk treatments during feed‐deprivation period and overcompensated during the refeeding period. CF also varied with feeding cycle and proved to be an effective nonlethal measure of predicting a CG response. No statistical differences in water quality parameters were observed. These data suggest that CG can be effectively induced in pond‐raised HSB and that the increase in FE warrants further research for practical application. Future pond studies with fingerling HSB fish should be conducted with emphasis on feed‐deprivation periods of 2 wk and refeeding periods of at least twice that of the feed‐deprivation period.     

Compensatory Growth of Juvenile Flounder Paralichthys olivaceus L. and Changes in Biochemical Composition and Body Condition Indices during Starvation and after Refeeding in Winter Season

Compensatory growth and changes in biochemical composition, hematocrit and body condition indices of juvenile flounder Paralichthys olivaceus were assessed during starvation and after refeeding. Twenty juvenile fish were stocked into each 200‐L flow‐through tank to give five treatments with three replicates per treatment: control group fish (C) were hand fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 8 wk, whereas the Sl, S2, S3, and S4 fish were hand fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 7, 6, 5, and 4 wk after 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk of starvation, respectively. During starvation, weight decreased linearly with periods of feed deprivation up to 3 wk. Survival was not significantly different among treatments. At the end of the feeding trial, weight gain (g/fish) and specific growth rate (SGR) of flounder in S2 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of fish in S3 or S4, but not significantly different from those of fish in C or Sl. Feed consumption of flounder (g/fish) was proportional to duration of feeding except for that of fish in S2. Feed efficiency ratio (FER) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) values for flounder in S2 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those for fish in C, but not significantly different from those for fish in Sl, S3, or S4. During starvation, hepatosomatic index (HSI) and lipid content of flounder without liver decreased with periods of feed deprivation. However, HSI and condition factor (CF) for flounder in S2 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those for fish in Sl, S3, S4 and C except for CF in Sl at the end of the feeding trial. Proximate composition of flounder without the liver was not significantly different among treatments at the end of the feeding trial. In considering above results, juvenile flounder achieved compensatory growth with up to 2‐wk feed deprivation. Compensatory growth of flounder fed for 6 wk after 2‐wk feed deprivation was well supported by improvement in SGR, FER, and PER. HSI could be a good index to monitor changes in body condition during starvation and after refeeding.     

Impact of starvation on digestive enzymes activities and plasma metabolites in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii,Brandt, 1869)

To increase the current knowledge about the relationship between nutritional status and the digestive capacity of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), we addressed the effect of starvation‐refeeding and macronutrient composition on growth parameters and key digestive enzyme activities in A. baerii. Acipenser baerii juveniles were fed four different diets for 3 weeks, then starved for 2 weeks and allowed to refed for 5 weeks with the same diets. Another group of fish were fed 10 weeks with the corresponding diets. Among 10‐week fed fish, high‐protein diets promoted higher body weight values, while the lowest specific growth rate was observed in fish fed a low‐protein, medium‐carbohydrate, high‐lipid diet (p < .05). At the end of the experiment, in fish refed for 5 weeks following a feeding‐starvation cycle and in 10‐week fed animals, the higher levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol were found in fish fed low‐protein diets (p < .05). In all treatments, 2 weeks of starvation decreased α‐amylase activity in the intestine (p < .05), while 4 days of refeeding increased lipase (p > .05) and α‐amylase activity in the intestine as well as pepsin in the stomach (p < .05). Our findings suggest that A. baerii maintains a high capacity to digest proteins and lipids after 2 weeks of starvation and that α‐amylase can be used as an indicator of the nutritional status in fish submitted to starvation‐refeeding cycles. Indeed, refeeding with high‐protein and CHO:L ratio diets after starvation could improve the growth rate of A. baerii in culture.     

饥饿和再投喂对白斑狗鱼体内RNA/DNA比值影响的研究

研究了饥饿和再投喂过程中自斑狗鱼肝脏和肌肉RNA/DNA比值的变化.随着饥饿时间的延长,白斑狗鱼体内RNA/DNA比值不断下降,体重逐渐减小,饥饿561时RNA/DNA比值下降幅度达到最大.恢复投喂后,白斑狗鱼摄食强度明显增大,生长加快,各组试验中肝脏和肌肉RNA/DNA比值均超过正常投喂水平.试验结果表明RNA/DNA比值与体重变化呈正相关,进一步证明RNA/DNA比值可作为衡量鱼类生长的重要指标之一.     

花鲈在短期周期性饥饿下的补偿生长

试验设3个饥饿处理组和1个对照组,研究花鲈在短期周期性饥饿下的补偿生长。试验结果表明,不同饥饿处理下的花鲈具有部分补偿生长能力,再投喂下的干物质摄食率(FR)显著高于对照组(P<0.0001),但饲料效率(FE)与对照组相比差异不显著(P<0.05),表明花鲈在短期周期性饥饿下的补偿生长通过提高摄食率实现。花鲈在补偿生长期间的生长效率大幅度提高,在投喂时间为对照组50%的条件下,周期性饥饿7 d(SR77)和周期性饥饿2 d(SR22)组平均特定生长率达到对照组的70.0%。     

Electrical stunning of farmed Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L.: a comparison of an industrial and experimental method

An industrial and experimental electrical method for stunning farmed Atlantic cod in air and seawater (SW), respectively, were compared. The impacts of sedation with AQUI‐S^? and exercise to exhaustion before electrical stunning were also assessed to monitor the possible depletion of rested muscle energy levels by electrical stunning. Stress (blood glucose, haematocrit, muscle pH, muscle excitability, high‐energy phosphates and rigor mortis) and flesh quality (fillet texture, colour, liquid leakage (LL), gaping, residual blood and K‐value) were assessed. For the industrial stunning method, an average of 41 V, 0.2 A dc was applied to individual cod for 18–27 s. For the SW method, a bipolar square wave current (170 Hz, 33% duty cycle) was applied for 5 s. After stunning, recovery was prevented by exsanguination in chilled SW. There were no differences (P>0.05) between the two stunning methods except for a higher ultimate fillet pH for cod stunned in air 8 days postmortem. Exercise before stunning depleted muscle energy levels at slaughter, increased LL and fillets had redder and darker flesh after storage on ice for 8 days. Electrical stunning (in air) of AQUI‐S^?‐treated fish partly depleted muscle energy levels (pH 7.3, ATP 18.7 μmol g^?1, PCr 70.1 μmol g^?1). However, flesh quality was not affected. Unless pre‐rigor filleting is the chosen processing strategy, electrical stunning of cod seems to be a promising stunning method.     

Effect of Restricted Feeding Regimes on Compensatory Growth and Body Composition of Red Sea Bream, Pagrus major

Compensatory growth of red sea bream, Pagrus major, during feed deprivation and after refeeding was investigated. Groups of three fish each were allocated into 28 cages. Fish were fed by a commercial feed to satiation twice a day. Four feeding groups of fish were prepared: one group with continuous feeding (C) for 9 wk and three other groups with feed deprivation for 1 wk (F1) in Week 3, 2 wk (F2) from Week 2 to Week 3, and 3 wk (F3) from Week 1 to Week 3, respectively. All fish in the feed deprivation treatments resumed feeding in Week 4. The full compensatory growth was achieved in F1 and F2 fish after refeeding for the first 3 wk but in F3 fish after refeeding for the second 3 wk. Specific growth rate and feed conversion efficiency in all fish experiencing fasting were higher than those of control fish after first 3 wk of refeeding. At the end of feed deprivation in Week 3, crude protein, crude lipid, and energy content of all fish experiencing fasting were lower than those of the control fish. These results indicated that red sea bream experienced 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐wk fasting could achieve full compensatory growth in the 9‐wk feeding trial.     

饥饿及恢复投饵过程中花鲈肌肉组成及非特异免疫水平的变化

探讨了饥饿及恢复投饵过程中花鲈（Lateolabrax japonicus）（196±38g）肌肉组成分及鱼体非特异免疫水平的变化。实验设S0组（对照组，持续正常投喂），S5组（饥饿5d后恢复正常投喂），S10组（饥饿10d后恢复正常投喂），S15组（饥饿15d后恢复正常投喂）。S0组每隔5d取样，S5，S10和S15组分别在结束饥饿及恢复投饵后每隔5d取样测定。结果显示：饥饿程度对花鲈肌肉组成有显著影响。与对照组相比，S10组饥饿结束时肌肉的总脂含量显著降低；S15组饥饿结束时肌肉的总脂含量和粗蛋白含量都显著降，同时显著增加了肌肉的水分含量。表明饥饿过程中花鲈先动用肌肉脂肪，后动用肌肉蛋白。在恢复投饵过程中，S10和S15组总脂含量表现出先降后升的规律，而S15组蛋白表现为逐步回升的趋势。表明花鲈在饥饿后恢复投饵的过程中，先恢复肌肉蛋白含量，后恢复肌肉脂肪含量。饥饿15d时花鲈血清蛋白浓度显著降低。与对照组相比，S5组血清、脾脏和头肾溶菌酶活性均无显著变化；S10组头肾溶菌酶活性在恢复投饵10d时补偿性升高。S15组在饥饿结束时显著降低了花鲈头肾溶菌酶活性，但在恢复投饵5d时恢复到对照组水平。花鲈白细胞的吞噬活性也受饥饿程度及恢复投饵的影响。饥饿会降低花鲈血液白细胞的吞噬活性。在恢复投饵过程中,饥饿（5d）后恢复投饵会引起白细胞吞噬百分率和吞噬指数的补偿性升高。表明饥饿及恢复投饵也影响花鲈的非特异免疫水平。     

Compensatory growth in Atlantic halibut: Effect of starvation and subsequent feeding on growth, maturation, feed utilization and flesh quality

A group of juvenile Atlantic halibut (mean, SD, 199.5 g, 44.7) was split into two experimental groups: one group was fed in excess twice a day and later five days a week (i.e. Control group), and the other group was starved for 5 weeks and then subsequently re-fed for 10 weeks (i.e. 5/10 starvation/re-fed group). This treatment was repeated for three years until the fish were harvested (mean final weight, 4.4 kg). A size +specific compensatory response was seen; partial compensation was observed in halibut weighing less than 500 g whereas full recovery growth was seen in halibut over 2 kg. Food consumption and feed conversion efficiency was measured during two full 5/10 starvation/re-fed cycles. The Control group consumed 86% more food in the measurement period, whereas the FCE 40% higher in the 5/10 starvation/re-fed group (FCE = 0.95) compared to the Control group (FCE = 0.68). In males lower gonadosomatic index (2.2 vs. 3.0) and plasma 11-ketotestosterone (0.22 vs. 1.26 ng ml^− 1) levels in the 5/10 starvation/re-fed group were observed during late winter and spring of 2006 (age 3 years) indicating higher age at 1st maturity. Starvation had a significant effect for improving the quality as starved fish had higher muscle pH (6.4 vs. 6.2), less gaping (0.1 vs. 0.3) and harder texture (61.4 vs. 57.6 N). Overall, the rearing on a repeated 5/10 starvation/re-fed regime for 3 years led to full growth compensation, higher feed conversion efficiency, lower male maturation and improved flesh quality.     

饥饿后再投喂对异育银鲫生长和体成分的影响

在(25±2)℃条件下,对体重(15.6±0.84)g的异育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)进行了不同时间的饥饿处理和再投喂的恢复生长实验。实验把异育银鲫分为4组,为Ⅰ组(持续投喂48 d)、Ⅱ组(饥饿8 d后再投喂40 d)、Ⅲ组(饥饿16 d后再投喂32 d)和Ⅳ组(饥饿24 d后再投喂24 d),每组20尾鱼,研究再投喂后体重和体成分(粗蛋白、粗脂肪、水分和灰分)的变化。结果显示:与持续投喂组相比,饥饿8 d后异育银鲫体重下降了13.28%,饥饿16 d和24 d后体重分别下降了22.36%和33.03%。短期饥饿(Ⅱ)组,再恢复投喂8 d后能实现完全补偿生长,而中长期饥饿组(Ⅲ和Ⅳ)分别在投喂16 d和24 d后表现为部分补偿生长。在饥饿和恢复投喂过程中其体成分呈现规律性变化:各试验组饥饿后,粗蛋白和粗脂肪显著下降,而水分和灰分含量上升,而再投喂后,各营养成分逐渐恢复。Ⅱ组再投喂8 d后,粗脂肪和粗灰份恢复到对照组水平,蛋白质显著低于对照组水平,水分显著高于对照组;再投喂40 d后,粗蛋白和水分亦恢复到对照水平,Ⅲ组恢复投喂16 d后,粗蛋白、粗脂肪和灰分不能恢复到对照水平,恢复投喂32 d后,除灰分外,其余成分皆不能恢复到对照水平。Ⅳ组再投喂24 d后,除水分外,其余各营养成分皆不能恢复到对照水平。结果表明,实现异育银鲫完全补偿生长,其饥饿时间以短时间饥饿8 d为宜。     

Effect of Dietary Lipid Level and Feeding Frequency on the Growth,Feed Utilization,and Body Composition of Juvenile Spotted Seabass,Lateolabrax maculatus

A 6‐wk feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of different dietary lipid levels and feeding frequencies on the growth performance, feed utilization, and body composition of juvenile spotted seabass, Lateolabrax maculatus. Two experimental diets were prepared with two different dietary lipid contents, low lipid (7%; LL) and high lipid (14%; HL). Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of fish (5.5 ± 0.01 g) to apparent satiation at three meals per day, two meals per day, one meal per day, and one meal every 2 d, respectively, for 6 wk. Fish growth performance in terms of weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) was significantly affected by frequency of feeding, with increasing values as feeding frequency increased up to twice daily, regardless of dietary lipid content. In addition, fish fed the diet with the HL level (14%) showed significantly higher WG and SGR than those fed the LL diet (7%) at all the feeding frequencies tested. Feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were affected by both dietary lipid level and feeding frequency. FE and PER values were significantly higher in fish fed the HL diet and/or when fish were fed twice or thrice a day. However, daily feed intake and daily energy intake were significantly affected only by feeding frequency and were significantly reduced when the fish were fed only once every 2 d compared with those fed more frequently. Whole‐body moisture content of fish tended to decrease with increasing dietary lipid level and frequency of feeding. In contrast, whole‐body lipid content increased in fish as dietary lipid level and feeding frequency increased. Consequently, we can conclude that feeding spotted seabass twice daily to apparent satiation is acceptable and sufficient to achieve good growth and FE, as fish performance was not significantly enhanced when feeding was increased from two to three times daily.     

Compensatory Growth of Juvenile Olive Flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus L., and Changes in Proximate Composition and Body Condition Indexes during Fasting and after Refeeding in Summer Season

Compensatory growth of juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus L., and changes in proximate composition and body condition indexes of fish during fasting and after refeeding were investigated during the summer season. Groups of 25 fish each (initial body weight of 16 g) were randomly distributed into fifteen 180‐L flow‐through tanks. Fish were fed the experimental diet containing crude protein 46.9% and crude lipid 8.0% with estimated energy level of 14.6 kJ/g diet for 6 d/wk. Five treatments in triplicate were prepared for this study: C, S1, S2, S3, and S4. Fish in the control group (C) were hand‐fed to apparent satiation twice daily. Fish in treatments S1, S2, S3, and S4 experienced 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk of starvation and were then hand‐fed to apparent satiation twice daily during the remaining 7, 6, 5, and 4 wk of the experiment, respectively. A group of starved fish in the similar size was stocked and fasted throughout the 8‐wk feeding trial for chemical and blood analysis. The feeding trial lasted for 8 wk. Weight of fish linearly decreased with week of starvation (P < 0.0001). Linear relationship between condition factor (CF) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) against week of starvation was observed in the starved group of fish. Survival was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by feeding strategy. However, weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) of olive flounder in C, S1, and S2 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of fish in S3 and S4. The poorest weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) were obtained in fish of S4. Feed consumption of olive flounder in C, S1, and S2 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of fish in S3 and S4. Feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, and protein retention of olive flounder in C and S1 were not significantly (P > 0.05) different from those of fish in S2 but significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of fish in S3 and S4. Hematocrit, CF, and HSI of olive flounder were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by feeding strategy. Chemical composition of fish was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by feeding strategy. In considering these results, it can be concluded that juvenile olive flounder have the ability to fully compensate for 2‐wk feed deprivation during the summer season. Besides, feed efficiency in fish fed for 7 and 6 wk after 1‐ and 2‐wk feed deprivation was comparable to that in fish fed for 8 wk.     

Proteomics analysis of mitochondrial extract from liver of female zebrafish undergoing starvation and refeeding

Many fish species can withstand long period of food deprivation and consequently compensate for any weight loss by undergoing rapid growth during resumption of feeding. There is an interest in taking advantage of compensatory growth to reduce feed cost. In this present study, we attempted to compare the changes in hepatic mitochondrial proteome of zebrafish undergoing starvation and refeeding. Two‐dimensional gel separation and image analysis revealed a total of 65 spots that showed changes in expression after 15 days of starvation followed by 7 days of refeeding. A total of 35 proteins were selected for mass spectrometry analysis, resulting in the positive identification of 18 proteins. Identified proteins indicated that starvation resulted in reduction in glycolysis and increase in gluconeogenesis, while refeeding caused these activities to return to normal levels. Expression pattern of several proteins related to fatty acid and amino acid metabolism also suggested the utilization of non‐carbohydrate resources for energy during starving conditions. Proteins with chaperoning and antioxidative roles such as glucose‐regulated protein, paraxonase and heat‐shock protein were also upregulated in starved conditions.     

Effects of complete fish meal replacement by rice protein concentrate with or without lysine supplement on growth performance,muscle development and flesh quality of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala)

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of fish meal (FM) replacement by rice protein concentrate (RPC) with supplementation of microcapsule lysine (ML) or crystalline lysine (CL) on growth performance, muscle development and flesh quality of blunt snout bream. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated, including FM diet (containing 50 g/kg FM), RPC diet (FM replaced by RPC), MRPC diet (FM replaced by RPC with ML supplementation) and CRPC diet (FM replaced by RPC with CL supplementation). Fish fed FM diet had significantly higher weight gain, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio and nitrogen and energy utilization than that of RPC group, but showed no statistical difference with other treatments. In addition, fish fed RPC diet showed higher muscle fibre frequency in the 20‐ to 50‐μm class but lower >50‐μm class and higher cooking loss than that of the other groups. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in whole‐body proximate compositions, frequency distribution of <20‐μm‐diameter fibres, texture, muscle content, collagen, pH 24 hr post‐mortem and sensory quality. The results showed that RPC supplemented with ML or CL could replace fishmeal without any adverse effects on growth performance and flesh quality for blunt snout bream.     

Seasonal variation in flesh quality, comparison between large and small Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) transferred into seawater as 0+ or 1+ smolts

The aim of this study was to identify the effect of growth, size and season on the flesh quality of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Following smoltification, two groups of size sorted 0+ and 1+ smolts (four treatment groups in all) were measured for body weight and length in January, June and October 2002. The fish were stored on ice for 4 days before filleted and samples taken for flesh colour, fat/dry content, end pH, gaping score and texture shear force. Large fish upon smoltification grew faster during the first year at sea, while smaller fish grew faster during the second year at sea, resulting in similar weight at slaughter. Season showed the main influence on quality, where fish slaughtered in October had harder texture, higher fat content and redder colour compared to previous samples (P < 0.05). There were only minor differences between the fish slaughtered in January and June (P > 0.15). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were detected as an effect of size or smoltification age when effects of season were accounted for in the statistical model. We conclude that the observed variation in quality was an effect of changes in growth with season. We recommend that actions aimed to halter growth prior to slaughter could be an effective control measure to reduce seasonal quality variations.     

Compensatory growth of juvenile black sea bream,Acanthopagrus schlegelii with cyclical feed deprivation and refeeding

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate compensatory growth of juvenile black sea bream, Acanthopagrus schlegelii (initial weight 9.56 ± 0.12 g) in fifteen 300 L indoors flow‐through circular fibreglass tanks. Feeding regimes was designed as follows: the control group (fed continuously), and S1, S2, S3 and S4 groups experienced 1, 2, 3 and 4 days of feed deprivation and then refeeding for the remaining days per week respectively. Changes in body weight, specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) were examined biweekly during the trial. At the end of the cyclical feeding periods, survival was not significantly affected by feeding strategy (P > 0.05). Final body weight of fish in S1 group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05) after an 8 weeks trial, and fish in the S2 group reached the same body weight of the control fish (P > 0.05), however, the growth data in the S3 and S4 groups could not catch‐up with the control treatment (P < 0.05). In the first 4 weeks, SGR values of fish with feed deprivation more than 2 days per week were inferior to those of control group (P < 0.05); however, no significant differences of SGR were observed among the groups for the last 4 weeks (P > 0.05). FI increased significantly with the starvation days increasing during the whole feeding trial (P < 0.05). At the periods 2, 4 and 6 weeks, FER values increased significantly with increasing feed‐deprivation days up to S2 group and then levelled off (P < 0.05); however, FER in S2 group was only higher than that in S0 and S1, but no significant differences were found among the other treatments at the end of week 8. Significant differences were found in apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter and crude protein among the treatments, while ADCs of crude lipid were unaffected. Protein and lipid contents in whole body and dorsal muscle showed declining tendency with increasing food deprivation days, while moisture contents tended to increase (P < 0.05). Serum parameters were markedly affected by feeding regimes except for total protein concentration and thyroxine level. The present results indicated that starvation for 1 and 2 days per week of juvenile black sea bream could achieve over‐compensation and complete compensation respectively. However, in case of longer term feed restriction regime, fish failed to obtain good growth performance.     

The influence of feeding regime on growth and slaughter traits of cage-reared Atlantic salmon

The effects of different feeding methods on growth and slaughter traits of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, have been examined. Swimming activity associated with feeding was greatest amongst fish fed using automatic feeders, intermediate amongst those fed predetermined rations by hand, and least in groups of fish fed to satiation twice per day. Fish fed to satiation ate more and grew faster than did those provided with rations predicted to support high rates of growth, but the fish fed to satiation had higher feed:gain ratios than those given predetermined rations as two meals per day. The muscle tissues of the fish fed to satiation had higher lipid (%) and lower moisture (%) contents than did those of the fish fed the predetermined rations, but differences in muscle composition could be accounted for by differences in the size of the fish. Lipid was positively, and moisture negatively, correlated with fish size, whereas per cent protein and dress-out losses were little influenced by fish size and feeding regime. The fish fed to satiation were slightly heavier for a given length than those in the other groups. There was, however, no evidence that the largest fish had the highest condition factor, nor could condition factor be used to predict per cent lipid in the muscle tissue. Size variation increased in all groups of fish, and this was, in part, due to the cessation of growth of maturing individuals. Size variation was, however, most marked in the groups fed using automatic feeders, suggesting that interindividual competition for food was greatest amongst these fish.     

周期性饥饿下花鲈的形态变化与饥饿状态的相对判别分析

采用一直投喂（SOR0）和周期性饥饿2d再投喂2d（S2R2）、饥饿7d再投喂2d（S7R2）、饥饿7d再投喂7d（S7R7）4种投喂方式，研究周期性饥饿对花鲈（Lateolabrax japonicus）形态参数的影响，并对形态参数进行典型判别分析。实验周期为8周，所用饲料为浮性饲料。结果表明，4种处理对花鲈的形态参数影响有显著差异（P〈0．0001）。除Fulton值（K）外，3种周期性饥饿模式下的各形态参数以S2R2组最好，S7R7组次之，S7R2组最差，但3种处理下的形态参数均未超过SOR0组。在不同参数中，鱼体宽与内脏团重显著相关（r=0．9224），K值在周期性饥饿中变化最敏感，而体长受饥饿影响最小。典型判别分析显示，6个形态参数产生的2个典型变量主要代表体重和内脏团重，并依此分析了4种投喂模式下花鲈的相对饥饿状态，认为在相似体重下，内脏团越重，花鲈受饥饿程度越低。