Determination of recommended levels of specific nutrients for gilthead sea bream to maximise growth performance and feed utilisation

• Grant number: 18/16584-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Renata Guimarães Moreira Whitton
• Grantee: Joseane da Silva
• Supervisor: Maria Soledad Izquierdo Lopez
• Host Institution: Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/14699-7 - Vitamin A supplementation during the reproduction of Astyanax altiparanae females, BP.MS

Abstract

The establishment of nutritional requirement is essential to produce fish species commercially. Vitamins are normally required in small amounts, but the deficiency of these nutrients compromises fish development and health. This study will evaluate the growth and performance of Gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata fed with different levels of vitamins A, D and K. This study is important to establish the proper levels of these vitamins to ensure maximum growth and utilization of these nutrients by fish by aquaculture, obtaining substantial performance of this species. The main aim of this study is to develop sustainable, cost-effective feeds that improve key performance indicators (KPIs) by maximizing growth potential and survival and improving feed efficiency, supporting the nutritional quality of the fish fillet to meet the consumer expectations and to promote economic and environmental sustainability. Therefore, fifteen diets will be prepared containing five different levels of vitamin A (Vit A1, Vit A2,Vit A3, Vit A4 and Vit A5), D (Vit D1, Vit D2, Vit D3, Vit D4 and Vit D5) and K (Vit K1, Vit K2, Vit K3, Vit K4 and Vit K5). These diets will be offered to 450 fish, randomly distributed in 15 experimental units. The animals will be fed 3 times daily until apparent satiety. At the end of the experimental period the zootechnical, histological, biochemical and molecular markers parameters will be evaluated.