Assessment of functional ingredient on intestinal health
Intestinal mucosal surfaces and associated bacteria are considered the primary line of defence and together with the epithelial cells create a physical barrier crucial to host immunity. The aim of this study is to increase the knowledge of the effect of stress on Atlantic salmon intestinal health.
The fish will be fed two diets, one control and one diet containing an added immunostimulant with the hypothesis that this substance can maintain and support intestinal health and thereby enhance the fish health, robustness and performance during and after stress. Fish will be divided equally into 12, 3m tanks and fed the experimental diets. A stressor will be applied approximately 6 weeks from the beginning of the trial by means of lowering of the water level in 6 of the tanks. The fish will be exposed to the reduced water level for 30 minutes twice weekly for a period of 6 weeks. Growth and nutrition will be assessed, as well as biological samples taken at the end of the procedure to assess intestinal health.
The fish will be fed two diets, one control and one diet containing an added immunostimulant with the hypothesis that this substance can maintain and support intestinal health and thereby enhance the fish health, robustness and performance during and after stress. Fish will be divided equally into 12, 3m tanks and fed the experimental diets. A stressor will be applied approximately 6 weeks from the beginning of the trial by means of lowering of the water level in 6 of the tanks. The fish will be exposed to the reduced water level for 30 minutes twice weekly for a period of 6 weeks. Growth and nutrition will be assessed, as well as biological samples taken at the end of the procedure to assess intestinal health.