Replacement of fish oil with sunflower oil in feeds for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): effect on growth performance, tissue fatty acid composition and disease resistance

• Published in: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Main Authors: Bransden, MP, Carter, CG, Nichols, PD
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: 300299 Crop and Pasture Production not elsewhere classified; 300403 Animal Nutrition; 300701 Physiology and Genetics; 300703 Aquaculture; Atlantic salmon; disease resistance; fatty acid; fish oil; growth; sunflower oil; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://eprints.utas.edu.au/2306/; https://eprints.utas.edu.au/2306/1/Bransden_et_al_2003_CBP_B.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-4959(03)00143-X

Dietary sunflower oil (SFO) was used to gradually replace fish oil (FO) in six diets (which also contained fish meal) for Atlantic salmon parr (initial mass: 21.7 g). The effect on growth performance, tissue fatty acid profiles and disease resistance was monitored after 63 days. At the conclusion of the trial, no significant differences were detected in growth between any of the feeds. Fatty acid composition of whole carcass, dorsal muscle and liver generally reflected that of the diets. Forty percent of the FO could be replaced by SFO before tissue 22:6n-3 was significantly reduced, although other essential and non-essential fatty acids were more susceptible to change. Significant differences were detected in cumulative mortality of Atlantic salmon challenged with Vibrio anguillarum at the trials conclusion, although this was not correlated to the inclusion level of SFO. Despite changes observed to the tissue fatty acid profile, there was no significant effect on growth suggesting that SFO is a suitable alternative to FO in the diets for Atlantic salmon parr when fish meal is also included.