Project number: 901435 |Image: FHF

One vitamin improves intestinal health in salmon

The intestinal immune system forms the most extensive part of the salmon's total immune system. A well-functioning gut is a prerequisite for efficient feed utilization and the production of robust salmon.

Previous research indicates that the increasing content of plant products in the feed may be a contributing factor to the intestinal problems observed. Optimizing the composition of the feed can reduce losses, improve health and efficiency in production.

Choline is an essential vitamin for Atlantic salmon

Fat storage in the liver (fatty liver/steatosis), which varied with season, intestinal inflammation and increased in severity with production time at sea, was observed regularly in the farms that were included in the field survey. Symptoms of fatty liver increased with decreasing levels of fishmeal in the diet, i.e. in parallel with decreasing levels of choline, and were eliminated with the addition of choline in the diet. Choline requirements increased with increasing lipid levels in the diet and with increased water temperature.

Fatty liver can reduce fillet yield and thus the financial gain

An estimate of the economic benefit of giving the fish an optimal supplement of choline showed that choline supplementation to a feed based on plant ingredients corresponds to an increase in sales value in the order of NOK 10 million a year. This is for a facility that produces 10,000 tonnes of fish at a selling price of NOK 50/kg. In addition, the improvement in feed utilization comes as a result of reduced fat accumulation in the viscera.

The project has mapped the state of health of the farmed salmon in terms of intestinal health and function, and revealed needs before increased addition of the vitamin choline in the feed. Choline has been reduced to below the requirement limit for the salmon after the transition to a more plant-based diet. Other factors have also been uncovered which are important for being able to make recommendations about choline addition and other functional ingredients for feed production. 

Source: FHF – Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (translated from original in norwegian)

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