Carbohydrate in rainbow trout diets. III. Growth and chemical composition of fish from different families fed four levels of carbohydrate in the diet

Abstract

Groups of rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri) from five different families and five inbred groups were fed four diets similar in protein and energy content but differing in the percentage of metabolizable energy present as carbohydrate. The percentage of metabolizable energy from carbohydrate was 15, 26, 37 and 49%, respectively. Significant differences between fish families were found for growth, condition factor, chemical composition of the fish, relative liver wight, liver colour, digestibility of energy and N-free extracts, dressing percentage amount of intestinal fat and flesh colour. Interaction between diet and family was significant for relative liver weight and liver colour. There was no interaction between diet and family for growth, indicating that the prospects for selectively breeding a strain of rainbow trout specifically better able to utilize carbohydrate are not promising. Growth rate and condition factor increased with decreasing carbohydrate level in diet. The fish fed high levels of carbohydrate had less dry matter, fat and ash in the body, and higher percentage carbohydrate in the liver. They also had higher relative liver weights and more discoloured livers. The fish fed high levels of carbohydrate had significantly better apparent digestibility of energy and protein. There were no significant differences in mortality rate between the groups, and veterinary examination did not reveal any pathological differences in the fish fed different feeding regimes.