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Effects of Body Weight, Feeding Level and Temperature on Energy Metabolism and Growth in Fish

  • Chapter
Energy Metabolism in Farm Animals

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science ((CTVM,volume 44))

Abstract

The effects of body weight, feeding level and temperature on energy metabolism and growth in fish are discussed, with special reference to research done at the Department of Fish Culture and Fisheries of the Agricultural University Wageningen on the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus.

Metabolizability of the ration varies from 50 – 85% in fish and decreases at increasing feeding levels. Temperature seems to have little effect on ME.

The efficiency of the conversion of MEp for growth (kg) is 0.8 – 0.9 in fish and independent of body weight, feeding level and temperature. These factors affect growth therefore mainly through the maintenance requirements and the maximum feed intake/metabolism.

Due to an interactive effect of feeding level and temperature on the values of the weight exponents in the allometric relations of feed intake/metabolism with body weight the ratio MEp/MEm varies with body weight and temperature. Values of this ratio range from 9.5 to 2.6 and decrease with body weight. Temperatures at which this ratio is maximal, i.e. optimal temperatures for growth, also decrease with fish size.

It is concluded that research in the field of energy metabolism and growth of fish is hampered by the problems the aqueous environment poses on determination of the energy balance components.

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Authors
  1. L. T. N. Heinsbroek
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Animal Nutrition and Animal Husbandry, P.O. Box 338, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    M. W. A. Verstegen

  2. Department of Animal Husbandry, Agricultural University, P.O. Box 338, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    A. M. Henken

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© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

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Heinsbroek, L.T.N. (1987). Effects of Body Weight, Feeding Level and Temperature on Energy Metabolism and Growth in Fish. In: Verstegen, M.W.A., Henken, A.M. (eds) Energy Metabolism in Farm Animals. Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, vol 44. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3363-7_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3363-7_28

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8010-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3363-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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