Effects of Vitamin Nutrition on the Immune Response of Hatchery-Reared Salmonids. Annual Report, FY 1986

摘要

In a study on the effects of vitamin nutrition on immunity and disease resistance in chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), a goal is to define the dietary levels of pyridoxine, folic acid, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, ascorbic acid and vitamin E required to assure maximum resistance to disease. Two preliminary range-finding studies on the vitamins, pyridoxine and folic acid have been completed. These studies allowed us to focus in on the concentration of these vitamins which would exert the greatest effects in a practical ration. Results demonstrate that no significant differences in the specific growth rate or gross feed efficiency occurs, regardless of the concentration of either vitamin in the diets. The immunological assays, however, demonstrated some consistent differences with the pyridoxine diets. In both the preliminary and, thus far, in the formal diet trials, mid-range concentrations (60 to 75 mg/kg diet) appear to give the greatest degree of immunostimulation. Consistently observed modulation of the immune response by variation of the folic acid concentration has not been observed. (ERA citation 11:052243)