Assessment of resistance to amoebic gill disease in the Tasmanian Atlantic salmon selective breeding population ...

• Main Author: Taylor, RS
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23241554; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Assessment_of_resistance_to_amoebic_gill_disease_in_the_Tasmanian_Atlantic_salmon_selective_breeding_population/23241554

The main priority in the breeding goal of the recently established Tasmanian Atlantic salmon selective breeding program is for resistance to amoebic gill disease (AGD), which is caused by the marine ectoparasite Neoparamoeba perurans and is characterised by hyperplastic changes to the gill tissue. A categorical gross 'gill score' is used to schedule freshwater bath treatments. Bathing and direct production losses to AGD are estimated to add over 20% to the cost of production. The purpose of this thesis was to (i) investigate whether genetic variation of resistance to AGD exists (ii) determine whether this variation can be adequately measured using gill score (iii) examine phenotypic trends for evidence of developing resistance (iv) assess whether serum antibodies to Neoparamoebae are related to AGD resistance and (v) establish the relationship between the selection trait (gill score) and the objective trait (time between freshwater baths). Initial evidence of a moderate broad scale genetic variation for AGD ...