Beneficial effects of dietary exogenous protease on the growth,intestinal health and immunity of GIFT (Oreochromis niloticus) fed plant‐based diets

This study investigated the effects of dietary exogenous protease on the growth performance, intestinal health, immune parameters and disease resistance of genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus). Five test diets with commercial protease at the levels of 0, 1.38, 2.76, 5.52 and 11.04 U/g (named PE0, PE1, PE2, PE5 and PE11, respectively) were administered to triplicate tanks with 30 fish for 60 days, and then, the fish were challenged with Streptococcus agalactiae for 14 days. The results indicated that weight gain increased as exogenous protease increased from 0 to 5.52 U protease/g diet and then decreased significantly (p < .05) with a further increase in exogenous protease supplementation (p < .05). The height of the villi in the proximal intestine and distal intestine, the width of the villi in three segments of the intestine, and the thickness of the muscle layer in the proximal intestine and mid‐intestine (p < .05) were increased in the fish fed the PE5 diet. Immune and antioxidant indices (except malondialdehyde), and survival after challenged with S. agalactiae were higher in fish fed PE5 diets than in those fed other diets (p < .05). In conclusion, 5.52 U/g protease supplementation in a plant‐based diet could promote the growth performance, intestinal physical barrier function, innate immunity and S. agalactiae resistance of GIFT.     

Technical efficiency of different farm sizes for tilapia farming in China

China is the world's largest tilapia producer. This study uses the stochastic frontier function in the Cobb–Douglas model to evaluate a production frontier for tilapia aquaculture and analyses the relationship between farm size and production efficiency in China. A random sample of 300 tilapia farmers was surveyed in the main tilapia‐producing areas to study their economic efficiencies. The percentage distribution of tilapia farm technical efficiency was determined, with an average efficiency of 79%, which showed that the sample tilapia farmers operate at 21% below the production frontier and hence that they still have a chance to achieve targeted yields. The technical efficiencies of two categories (≤1 ha and >1 ha) were 78.82% and 79.27% respectively. A second‐stage analysis investigated the relationship between farm size and technical efficiency and showed a positive relationship between farm size and production efficiency based on the ordinary least‐squares model. The optimal farm size was found to be 7.50 ha. This study proposes strategies such as enlarging the farming scale moderately, thereby achieving the advantage of economies of scale, and enhancing the competitiveness of the tilapia industry in China.     

Evaluation of dietary chitosan effects on growth performance,immunity, body composition and histopathology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as well as the resistance to Streptococcus agalactiae infection

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary chitosan supplementation on growth performance, body composition, immune response and histopathology of Nile tilapia, and also the in vitro antibacterial activity of chitosan against Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae). About 180 fish (average body weight 39.3 ± 0.3 g) were randomly divided into three groups according to chitosan supplementation: control group (basal diet without chitosan), Ch3 group (3 g chitosan/kg diet) and Ch5 group (5 g chitosan/kg diet). Growth performance parameters and body proximate composition were measured before infection but biochemical parameters and lysozyme and antibacterial activities before and after experimental infection. Results of the present investigation showed dietary chitosan (5 g chitosan/kg diet) significantly (p < .05) improved growth performance parameters, body composition (dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, and carbohydrate) and serum biochemistry (total protein, albumin, globulin, with no effect on AST, ALT, urea and creatinine) before infection in Ch5 group than the control. After infection, liver enzymes (serum AST and ALT) were maintained lower in fish fed Ch3 or Ch5 than the control. Serum lysozyme and bactericidal activities significantly increased (p < .05) in chitosan groups before and after the challenge. The mortality rate was markedly reduced in the Ch3 group and prohibited in the Ch5 group after the experimental infection. In conclusion, feeding 3 or 5 g chitosan/kg diet increased the growth rate and improved FCR of Nile tilapia. In addition, it reduced mortality by its antibacterial and immunostimulant effects.     

响应面法优化复合咸味剂腌制罗非鱼片的工艺

为开发一种低盐健康新型的使用复合咸味剂腌制罗非鱼片的加工技术,本研究以罗非鱼片为原料,通过单因素实验,考察氯化钠分别与氯化钾、苹果酸钠、白砂糖不同添加量组合对腌制罗非鱼片的感官品质、含盐量、水分含量、蛋白水解指数和质构的影响,采用Box-Behnken响应面法优化复合咸味剂的最佳配比参数。结果显示,氯化钾、苹果酸钠、氯化钠添加量对罗非鱼片品质影响显著,白砂糖添加量对罗非鱼片品质影响不显著;通过Box-Behnken响应面法优化得到复合咸味剂腌制罗非鱼片的最佳工艺条件:氯化钾添加量为2.6%、苹果酸钠添加量为1.3%、氯化钠添加量为9.1%、白砂糖添加量为0.5%。优化后产品的感官评分为89,含盐量为2.81%,表明实验模型可以用于预测实际值。研究表明,与对照组相比,产品的钠含量降低了22.92%,从而为罗非鱼的加工提供了一种低盐低钠快速腌制的加工新技术。     

Comparison of effects of dietary‐specific fatty acids on growth and lipid metabolism in Nile tilapia

The dominant fatty acids (FAs) in oils are often used to explain different nutritional effects of dietary oils in fish. However, the amounts of dominant FAs among oils are different, and the nutritional roles of these important FAs in fish have not been precisely compared at similar levels in feeding trials. In the present study, different amounts of palmitic acid were added to safflower oil (SO), olive oil (OO) and fish oil (FO) to obtain comparable amounts (about 550 g/kg of total FAs) of 18:2n‐6, 18:1n‐9 and 20:5n‐3 + 22:6n‐3 and subsequently fed to Nile tilapia (11.1 ± 0.01 g) for 8 weeks. The results showed similar growth among groups but FO group obtained lower fat deposition, serum ALT and AST activities, compared to OO. Lipogenesis‐related gene expressions were higher in OO group than FO group in liver, muscle and adipose tissue, but there were only few differences in these genes between SO and FO groups. Lipid catabolism genes in FO group were higher than OO and SO groups in adipose tissue, but not in muscle, and the significantly higher expressions of CPT1b and PPARα were only observed in liver. Overall, dietary 18:2n‐6, 20:5n‐3 and 22:6n‐3 were beneficial to normal growth and lipid metabolism, whereas high amount of 18:1n‐9 induced lipid deposition and liver damage in Nile tilapia.     

Price volatility dynamics in aquaculture fish markets

Abstract

In this paper, a time-varying student-t copula is used to capture information on price volatility dependence in the short-, medium-, and long-run horizon in the US market for frozen and fresh salmon, trout, tilapia and catfish. Using monthly data from July 1992 to March 2017, the volatility dynamics for these aquaculture species are assessed. The analysis allows indicating significant differences in the volatility relationships, depending on time-frequency. While short-run volatility has limited dependency, there is significant dependency in both the medium- and long-run, indicating that market integration is stronger in the long-run. The information is particularly important to buyers and producers utilizing the futures markets, as contracts are typically traded using a set of frequencies, and may help them manage and reduce price risk.     

尼罗罗非鱼精巢支持细胞分离培养体系建立及优化

本研究分离培养尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)精巢支持细胞(Sertoli cells, SCs),建立并优化尼罗罗非鱼精巢支持细胞分离培养体系。无菌条件下,取发育至第Ⅲ期的尼罗罗非鱼精巢,PBS清洗后,剪碎精巢组织,0.25%胰蛋白酶消化,用含10%犊牛血清(Newborn bovine serum, NBS)的L-15培养液终止消化,过滤、离心,获得细胞。差速贴壁法获得SCs后,在26℃、无CO2饱和湿度恒温培养箱中培养。分别采用含10% NBS的L-15、M199、F12培养液,含5%、10%、15% NBS的L-15培养液,含1%罗非鱼血清的L-15+10% NBS培养液培养尼罗罗非鱼SCs。各组每2 d取细胞计数,绘制SCs生长曲线;甲基绿染色,倒置显微镜下观察SCs的形态。尼罗罗非鱼SCs培养1~2 d,细胞贴壁;培养3~5 d,细胞完全贴壁并迅速增殖。单个SCs呈不规则多边形,其核位于胞质中央,呈卵圆形,胞质中可见吞噬颗粒和空泡,空泡聚集于支持细胞胞质的两极或散布于核的四周。SCs在L-15培养液中贴壁生长,在F12、M199培养基中较难贴壁。与F12、M199培养液相比,L-15培养液更有助于尼罗罗非鱼SCs生长增殖(P<0.01)。与添加5%和15% NBS相比,在L-15培养基中添加10% NBS更有助于尼罗罗非鱼SCs生长增殖(P<0.05)。与未添加尼罗罗非鱼血清相比,在10% NBS+L-15培养中添加1%尼罗罗非鱼血清,能显著促进SCs生长增殖(P<0.05)。研究表明,采用胰酶消化差速贴壁法获得尼罗罗非鱼精巢支持细胞,10% NBS+1%罗非鱼血清+L-15培养液培养,能显著促进尼罗罗非鱼精巢支持细胞生长增殖。     

Influence of Ulva meal on growth, feed utilization, and body composition of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at two levels of dietary lipid

A nutrition trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary lipid levels and supplemental Ulva meal on growth performance, feed efficiency, nutrient utilization, and body composition of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Four isonitrogenous (CP 40%) diets containing 0% and 5% Ulva meal were formulated to contain 10% (low-lipid; LL) and 20% (high-lipid; HL) crude lipid. Triplicate groups of fish (~10 g) were fed to apparent satiation three times daily for 16 weeks. Fish fed 5% Ulva meal showed an increased growth performance (P < 0.05) compared with fish fed non-Ulva supplemented diets, irrespective of dietary lipid level. In particular, the incorporation of Ulva meal improved specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Feeding fish 5% Ulva meal diets resulted in significantly lower carcass lipid content. The results indicate that 5% inclusion of Ulva meal at both dietary lipid levels improves growth performance, feed efficiency, nutrient utilization, and body composition of Nile tilapia.