Influence of dietary carbohydrate on blood chemistry, immunity and disease resistance in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

• Published in: Journal of Fish Diseases
• Main Authors: WAAGBØ, R., GLETTE, J., SANDNES, K., HEMRE, G. I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1994
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2761.1994.tb00220.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2761.1994.tb00220.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2761.1994.tb00220.x

Abstract. The influence of dietary carbohydrate (CHO) on blood chemistry, immunity and disease resistance was studied in two experiments with Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Moist diets with increasing amounts of digestible CHO ranging from 0 to 30% (dry weight) were used. In the first experiment with adult (0.5 kg) fish, blood haemoglobin concentration was negatively correlated with increasing dietary CHO level, while serum glucose and protein did not differ between the groups. Serum cortisol increased linearly in fish fed from 5 to 30% CHO. Serum haemolytic activity was negatively correlated with dietary levels of CHO. Humoral immune responses elicited after vaccination by intraperitoneal injection or by dip immersion with Vibrio salmonicida showed no differences according to diet 10 and 17 weeks post‐vaccination. Mortality after challenge with live Aeromonas salmonicida by intraperitoneal injection was lowest in fish fed 10% CHO. In the second experiment with juvenile Atlantic salmon (3g), there were minor differences in body and organ weights. Plasma glucose, protein and cholesterol were elevated in fish fed the highest CHO levels. Fish exposed to immersion challenge with different water concentrations of Vibrio anguillarum showed no statistical differences in mortality. The studies indicate that varying dietary levels of CHO affected immunity and resistance to bacterial infections to a minor extent in Atlantic salmon at low water temperatures during freshwater and seawater stages.