Assessment of egg quality in atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, treated with testosterone—II. Amino acids

Abstract

1. 1. Atlantic salmon ( Satmo salar) were treated with Silastic pellet implants containing testosterone (200 μg/g body weight) four times in a year. Eggs stripped from control (sham implantation) and testosterone-treated fish were fertilized and comparisons of free and total amino acid compositions made until first feeding. 2. 2. Despite having eggs which were smaller in diameter, lighter in weight and lower in total amino acid contents, alevins from testosterone-treated fish were heavier in wet weight and larger in body length, and exhibited enhanced free amino acid contents at first feeding. 3. 3. The qualitative composition of total amino acids in eggs from treated and control fish did not differ. 4. 4. Total amino acid pool of eggs and alevins declined during development, but an increase in the free amino acid pool was noticed through development. The increase in free amino acid pool was higher in eggs and alevins from treated fish than controls, perhaps due to enhanced mobilization of the free amino acid pool.