Vertically-Suspended Environmental Enrichment Improves Growth of Landlocked Fall Chinook Salmon during Initial Hatchery Rearing

• 作者: Michael E. Barnes
• 来源期刊: 应用科学(英文)
• 学科: 农学
• 关键词: Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Environmental Enrichment Structure Initial Feeding
• 年，卷（期）: 2020,（11）
• 页码范围: 725-731
• 页数: 7页
• 分类号: S91

摘要

Environmental enrichment has been shown to improve juvenile salmonid growth during hatchery rearing. This study examined the effects of vertically-suspended environmental enrichment starting seven days after feed training and continuing for the next 32 days of landlocked fall Chinook salmon (</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Oncorhynchus tshawytscha</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) rearing. At the end of this experiment, final tank weights, gain, percent gain, and feed conversion ratio were all significantly improved in the tanks of salmon with environmental enrichment compared to barren tanks, with a nearly 25% improvement in feed conversion ratio. Individual salmon in tanks with environmental enrichment were significantly longer and weighed significantly more than salmon from tanks without enrichment. Specific growth rate was also significantly improved with the use of enrichment. The use of vertically-suspended environmental enrichment to improve growth and rearing efficiency is recommended during the initial rearing of landlocked fall Chinook salmon.