Ammonia excretion rates from post-smolt Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in land-based farms

Empirical data on ammonia excretion rates were compiled from several published and unpublished growth studies on post-smolt Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Fish in all studies were fed to satiation with commercially produced high-energy diets (ME = 18–19 MJ kg^-1) with a protein content of 40–45%. About 35 ± 3% (mean SE) of the nitrogen supplied to fish was excreted as total ammonia (TAN = NH₃-N + NH₄⁺-N). The results of a linear regression analysis of N intake to N excretion demonstrated, however, that TAN excretion rates could be divided into two components: TAN_excretion [g N kg fish^-1 day^-1] = 0.036 + 0.26 N_intake [g N kg fish^-1 day^-1]. The intercept of the regression equation indicates that the endogenous TAN excretion rates in post-smolts could be estimated as 36 mg TAN kg fish^-1 day^-1, and about 26% of the nitrogen supplied to the fish was excreted postprandially. This postprandial TAN excretion was lower than that from other salmonid species fed low-energy diets. The daily maximum TAN excretion rate was about 43% higher than daily mean values, which agree with several studies. The ammonia quotient (A.Q.) measured was independent of the nitrogen supplied, and was calculated as 0.112. The outputs from the present model were compared to those from other ammonia excretion models.