Effects of crowding on blood constituents and flesh quality variables in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

• Published in: Archivos de medicina veterinaria
• Main Authors: Gatica, M. C., Monti, G. E., Knowles, T. G., Gallo, C. B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Archivos de Medicina Veterinaria 2010
• Subjects: stress; calidad; sangre; pH; cortisol; quality; blood; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://revistas.uach.cl/index.php/amv/article/view/5028; https://doi.org/10.4067/S0301-732X2010000300010

The effects of anaesthesia (as a control treatment) and controlled crowding, with its concomitant low oxygen level, on harvest size salmon (Salmo salar) were compared in terms of blood constituents and flesh quality variables, at 0, 1, 4, 7 and 10 dayspost-mortem. Fish were held in tanks in triplicate and were sampled after anaesthetizing with AQUI-S® and after crowding for one hour. Eighteen fish from each treatment were stunned, blood sampled from the posterior aorta and the fish bled by gill cut and filleted. All blood variables with the exception of cortisol were higher (P < 0.05) in crowded fish compared with anaesthetized fish. Initial muscle pH was lower in the crowded fish and only between days 0; 1 and 4. Colour was significantly lighter in crowded than in anaesthetized fish on days 0 and 1. Weight loss was higher (P < 0.05) in the crowded fish and also increased in both treatments with timepost mortem. Muscle asthaxantin concentration showed no statistical difference between treatments norpost mortem.It can be concluded that crowding and reduced oxygen level had a negative effect on blood variables and on flesh quality, lowering colour score, lowering initial muscle pH, and increasing the weight loss of fillets. Se compararon en los días 0, 1, 4, 7 y 10 post mortem, en términos de variables de la calidad de la carne y constituyentes sanguíneos, los efectos de la anestesia (como tratamiento del control) y el confinamiento controlado con disminución del nivel de oxígeno en salmones tamaño cosecha (Salmo salar). Los peces fueron mantenidos en triplicado en estanques y muestreados después de anestesiar con AQUI-S® y después de confinar por un período de una hora. Dieciocho peces de cada tratamiento fueron insensibilizados mediante un golpe en la cabeza, se les extrajo sangre mediante la punción de la vena caudal para luego ser sangrados mediante el corte de branquias y posteriormente procesados para obtener los filetes. Todas las variables sanguíneas a excepción del cortisol fueron ...