The effect of feed cycling and ration level on the compensatory growth response in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus my kiss

Abstract

Compensatory growth is the phase of rapid growth, greater than normal or control growth, which occurs upon adequate refeeding following a period of undernutrition. The effect of feed cycling periods (periods of starvation followed by periods of refeeding), ration level and repetitive feed cycles on the compensatory growth response in rainbow trout were evaluated in two experiments. A feeding cycle of 3 weeks starvation and 3 weeks feeding produced better results in terms of average percentage changes in weight and length, and in specific growth rate, than either 1 week and 1 week or 2 weeks and 2 weeks feed cycles. The fish on the 3 weeks starvation and 3 weeks feeding cycle did as well as, if not better than, the constantly fed controls over one or two complete cycles, though the controls were fed more than twice the amount of feed. Three ration levels were compared using a 3-week starvation and 3-week feeding period. The only effect of increasing ration level was to decrease conversion efficiency, indicating overfeeding. Carcass analysis of moisture, fat, protein and ash showed no significant differences between the controls and an experimental group on a 3 weeks starvation, 3 weeks feeding cycle after one complete cycle.Possible mechanisms underlying the compensatory growth response are discussed.

Avaliação do crescimento e do custo da alimentação do pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887) submetido a ciclos alternados de restrição alimentar e realimentação

“…O crescimento compensatório em peixes pode ter importante aplicação na aqüicultura (Quinton & Blake 1990;Hayward et al, 1997). Uma exploração adequada deste fenô-meno pode resultar em melhor produção, com aumento na taxa de crescimento e eficiência alimentar e redução do custo com alimentação Maclean & Metcalfe, 2001).…”

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“…Feed restriction is the widely suggested feed management strategy in aquaculture (Yengkokpam et al, 2013;Jobling, Meløy, dos Santos, & Christiansen, 1994;Quinton & Blake, 1990;Oh et al, 2008). This strategy is believed to take advantage of a phenomena called compensatory growth, which is described as an accelerated growth rate resulting from an appropriate refeeding of the fish after a period of feed restriction or exposure to unfavorable conditions such as low temperature, low oxygen, and reproductive effort (Ali et al, 2003).…”

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“…In a related study, nutritional restriction resulted in compensatory responses, including hyperphagia, rapid weight increase, and repletion of the energy reserves 46 . Compensatory growth has also been established for salmonids, cyprinids, and pleuronectids [47][48][49][50] . The fast growth rate of the fish recorded from the present study is evidence of acceptance and high digestibility of the alternative feed ingredients, and influence of phytase which further enhanced the growth of the fish.…”