Feeding Frequency Affects Growth, Not Fillet Composition, of Juvenile Sunshine Bass Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis Grown in Cages

Abstract.— In an effort to feed sunshine bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis efficiently, promote optimal growth, and reduce labor costs associated with feeding, sunshine bass were grown in cages and fed one of four feeding frequencies: once/d, twice/d, once every other day (I X/EOD), and twice every other day (2X/EOD) for 21 wk. Juvenile sunshine bass were fed a commercial floating diet containing 40% protein and 11.5% lipid. One hundred fish were hand-counted and stocked into each of 12 3.5-m³ cages with three replications per treatment. At the conclusion of the study, percentage weight gain of sunshine bass fed twice/d was significantly (P < 0.05) higher (1,850%) compared to fish fed all other feeding frequencies. Specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (2.1%/d) compared to fish fed all other feeding regimes, while fish fed once/d had a higher SGR (2.0%/d) compared to fish fed I X/EOD (1.6%/d) and 2X/EOD (1.8%/d). Percentage survival was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among all treatments and averaged 70.4%r. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (2.40) compared to fish fed all other feeding regimes. Percentage fillet weight of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (27.8%) compared to all other treatments. Percentage moisture, protein, lipid, and ash in fillet were not significantly different among all treatments and averaged 75.7%, 19.4%, 3.5%, and 1.2%n, respectively (wet-weight basis). Based upon data from the present study, it appears that producers growing juvenile sunshine bass in cages may want to feed fish twice daily. This feeding regimen allows for higher growth rates, without adverse effects on body or fillet compositions. However, economic analysis needs to be conducted to determine if feeding twice/d is profitable.     

Development Of A Scoring System For The Veterinary Trauma Patient

An animal trauma triage (ATT) scoring system was devised to provide stratification of veterinary trauma patient populations based upon severity of injury. A retrospective population of 101 trauma patients and a prospective population of 88 patients were used to evaluate the predictive power of the ATT scoring system for survival seven days after initial presentation of the emergency service. In Both groups, the mean ATT score for survivors was significantly lower than the mean ATT score for non-survivors. In a logistic regression mode, the ATT score was found to be a significant predictor of the likelihood of survival seven days after initial presentation for both populartions. Each point increase in the ATT score resulted in a 2.3–2.6 times decreased likelihood of survival. The ATT scoring system is a useful objective classification scheme for predicting the likelihood to survive a traumatic incident and can serve as prototype for severity of injuroy scoring systems for the veterinary trauma patient.     

Effect of Food Availability on the Physiological Responses to Water Deprivation in Ponies

Six ponies were deprived of drinking water and food and compared over 24 hours with nondeprived ponies, ponies deprived of water but with food available, and ponies deprived of food but with water available. When food was eaten during water deprivation, plasma osmolality rose 4% from 284 mOsm/kg to 295 mOsm/kg. During water and food deprivation, plasma osmolality failed to rise, even over 24 hours, and usually fell. Packed cell volume was higher when food but not water was available. Food and/or water deprivation had no significant effect on plasma protein concentration. When food was available, the ponies drank three times more water (13.1 ± 2.1 kg) than when water but not food was available (3.5 ± 1.4 kg). Blood volume changes were calculated from packed cell volume and plasma protein data, and it was found that blood volume did not change significantly with deprivation. Urine volume did not vary with deprivation, but free water clearance changed significantly, falling when food but not water was available. Under these conditions, blood volume is maintained, but the mechanisms are not clear. When deprived of both drinking water and food, ponies failed to develop the hyperosmolality expected under these conditions. Water deprivation while food is available is a more powerful challenge to water and electrolyte homeostasis than deprivation of both food and water.