The inclusion of Palmaria palmata macroalgae in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) diets: effects on growth, haematology, immunity and liver function

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 3091 - 3100
• Main Authors: Wan, Alex H. L., Soler-Vila, Anna, O’Keeffe, Damien, Casburn, Paul, Fitzgerald, Richard, Johnson, Mark P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algae; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body weight; Diet; Ecology; Feed conversion; Feed supplements; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Life Sciences; Marine; Palmaria palmata; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Salmo salar; Salmon; Blood parameters; Seaweed; Atlantic salmon; Dillisk; Macroalgae
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-016-0821-8

A feeding study was carried out for fourteen weeks to evaluate the effects of partial inclusion of 5, 10 and 15 % of dillisk, Palmaria palmata , into formulated Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) diets. A further fourth diet was produced without the presence of algae and was used as a basal reference diet. All the four diets were formulated to be iso -nitrogenous (40 %), iso -lipidic (25 %) and iso -energetic (26 MJ kg −1 ). Salmon growth (final body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR)) were comparable across algal and control diets, with no significant differences amongst the treatments ( P  > 0.05). Comparisons of liver weight, viscera weight and viscerosomatic index (VSI) also suggested that the macroalgal inclusion did not affect fish growth ( P  > 0.05). Fish health indicators across haematological, immunological and hepatic function were generally similar between the experimental diets. The exceptions to this pattern included a significant decrease in alanine transaminase activity ( P  < 0.05) in the diet with 5 and 15 % P. palmata inclusion compared to other experimental diets. This may indicate that higher P. palmata inclusion improved hepatic function. Seaweed inclusion at 5 % also had positive effects on body lipid content when compared to the control diets. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that P. palmata can be a suitable feed supplement in Atlantic salmon ( S. salar ) diets.