The prevalence of vertebral deformities is increased with higher egg incubation temperatures and triploidy in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L.

Abstract

Suboptimal egg incubation temperature is a risk factor for the development of skeletal deformities in teleosts. Triplicate diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., egg batches were incubated at 6, 8 and 10 °C up until first feeding, whereupon fish were reared on a natural temperature before examination for externally visible skeletal deformities (jaw and spine) and radiographed for vertebral deformities and morphology at the parr stage. Increasing incubation temperatures and triploidy increased the number of fish showing one or more deformed vertebrae. Triploids had significantly higher mean vertebrae cranio-caudal length (L) and dorsal-ventral height (H) ratio at 6 and 10 °C than diploids, but triploidy had no effect on mean vertebrae centra area. Triploids demonstrated an increase in lower jaw deformities with increased incubation temperature, whereas jaw deformities were rare in diploids. Fish incubated at 10 °C had a significantly lower mean vertebral number than fish incubated at 6 °C, and triploids had lower mean vertebral numbers than diploids. Diploid fish with 58 vertebrae had a significantly higher mean vertebral centra area than fish with 59 vertebrae, but vertebral number did not affect the mean vertebral L/H ratio. The results are discussed with respect to the welfare and production of farmed salmonids.

Multigenic Delineation of Lower Jaw Deformity in Triploid Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)

“…Only recently, development of LJD has been linked to dietary phosphorus (P) deficiency and a higher P requirement of triploid Atlantic salmon [8]. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the onset of LJD are not known and could be multifactorial via a combination of genetic (triploidy and genetic background), nutritional (mineral or vitamin deficiency) and environmental (accelerated growth, low dissolved oxygen, elevated temperature and husbandry practices) factors [6–8, 14]. Although it seems to occur mostly during the freshwater phase, onset of LJD can occur at any time in development and prevalence and severity (i.e.…”

“…Although it seems to occur mostly during the freshwater phase, onset of LJD can occur at any time in development and prevalence and severity (i.e. worsening of the downward curvature) can increase over time [3, 4, 7–9, 11, 14, 15]. …”

Comparisons of reproductive function and fatty acid fillet quality between triploid and diploid farm Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar )

“…However, by the third year of development, there was no significant difference in body condition indices. Previous studies regarding the effect of ploidy on length, weight and other body condition indices show the full spectrum of possible results [23,56,57]. Galbreath et al .…”

Prevalence of deformities in intensively reared peled Coregonus peled and comparative morphometry with pond‐reared fish

“…The consequences of vertebral deformities for body shape depended on position along the vertebral column (Figure ). Frequency of spinal deformities varies among cultured fish species, with reports ranging from 7.7% in barramundi Lates calcarifer to 19% in Atlantic salmon (Fraser, Anderson, & de Nys, ; Fraser, Hansen, Fleming, & Fjelldal, ; Lü et al., ).…”

“…Fraser et al. () reported R1 and R4 to be the most affected spinal areas in intensively cultured Atlantic salmon Salmo salar . Amoroso, Adams, Ventura, Carter, and Cobcroft () and de Azevedo et al.…”