Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling

Abstract Background We used stable isotope profiling (15N and 13C) to obtain indicator phenotypes for feed efficiency in aquaculture. Our objectives were to (1) examine whether atom percent of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon can explain more of the variation in feed conversion ratio than grow...

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Main Authors: Hanne Dvergedal, Jørgen Ødegård, Margareth Øverland, Liv Torunn Mydland, Gunnar Klemetsdal
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: BMC 2019-04-01
Series:Genetics Selection Evolution
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12711-019-0455-9
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author Hanne Dvergedal
Jørgen Ødegård
Margareth Øverland
Liv Torunn Mydland
Gunnar Klemetsdal
author_facet Hanne Dvergedal
Jørgen Ødegård
Margareth Øverland
Liv Torunn Mydland
Gunnar Klemetsdal
author_sort Hanne Dvergedal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background We used stable isotope profiling (15N and 13C) to obtain indicator phenotypes for feed efficiency in aquaculture. Our objectives were to (1) examine whether atom percent of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon can explain more of the variation in feed conversion ratio than growth alone, and (2) estimate the heritabilities of and genetic correlations between feed efficiency, growth and indicator traits as functions of nitrogen and carbon metabolism in various tissues. A 12-day experiment was conducted with 2281 Atlantic salmon parr, with an average initial weight of 21.8 g, from 23 full-sib families that were allocated to 46 family tanks and fed an experimental diet enriched with 15N and 13C. Results Using leave-one-out cross-validation, as much as 79% of the between-tank variation in feed conversion ratio was explained by growth, indicator traits, and sampling day, compared to 62% that was explained by growth and sampling day alone. The ratio of tissue metabolism, estimated by a change in isotope fractions relative to body growth, was used as an individual indicator for feed efficiency. For these indicator ratio traits, the estimated genetic correlation to feed conversion ratio approached unity but their heritabilities were low (0.06 to 0.11). These results indicate that feed-efficient fish are characterized by allocating a high fraction of their metabolism to growth. Among the isotope indicator traits, carbon metabolism in the liver had the closest estimated genetic correlation with feed conversion ratio on a tank level (− 0.9) but a low estimated genetic correlation with individually recorded feed efficiency indicator ratio traits. The underlying determinants of these correlations are largely unknown. Conclusions Our findings show that the use of indicator ratio traits to assess individual feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon has great prospects in selection programs. Given that large quantities of feeds with contrasting isotope profiles of carbon and/or nitrogen can be produced cost-effectively, the use of stable isotopes to monitor nitrogen and carbon metabolism in various tissues has potential for large-scale recording of individual feed efficiency traits, without requiring individual feed intake to be recorded.
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spelling doaj.art-95e7f2fe5ead41359cba786226a2c7762022-12-21T17:51:01ZdeuBMCGenetics Selection Evolution1297-96862019-04-0151111410.1186/s12711-019-0455-9Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profilingHanne Dvergedal0Jørgen Ødegård1Margareth Øverland2Liv Torunn Mydland3Gunnar Klemetsdal4Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesAbstract Background We used stable isotope profiling (15N and 13C) to obtain indicator phenotypes for feed efficiency in aquaculture. Our objectives were to (1) examine whether atom percent of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon can explain more of the variation in feed conversion ratio than growth alone, and (2) estimate the heritabilities of and genetic correlations between feed efficiency, growth and indicator traits as functions of nitrogen and carbon metabolism in various tissues. A 12-day experiment was conducted with 2281 Atlantic salmon parr, with an average initial weight of 21.8 g, from 23 full-sib families that were allocated to 46 family tanks and fed an experimental diet enriched with 15N and 13C. Results Using leave-one-out cross-validation, as much as 79% of the between-tank variation in feed conversion ratio was explained by growth, indicator traits, and sampling day, compared to 62% that was explained by growth and sampling day alone. The ratio of tissue metabolism, estimated by a change in isotope fractions relative to body growth, was used as an individual indicator for feed efficiency. For these indicator ratio traits, the estimated genetic correlation to feed conversion ratio approached unity but their heritabilities were low (0.06 to 0.11). These results indicate that feed-efficient fish are characterized by allocating a high fraction of their metabolism to growth. Among the isotope indicator traits, carbon metabolism in the liver had the closest estimated genetic correlation with feed conversion ratio on a tank level (− 0.9) but a low estimated genetic correlation with individually recorded feed efficiency indicator ratio traits. The underlying determinants of these correlations are largely unknown. Conclusions Our findings show that the use of indicator ratio traits to assess individual feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon has great prospects in selection programs. Given that large quantities of feeds with contrasting isotope profiles of carbon and/or nitrogen can be produced cost-effectively, the use of stable isotopes to monitor nitrogen and carbon metabolism in various tissues has potential for large-scale recording of individual feed efficiency traits, without requiring individual feed intake to be recorded.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12711-019-0455-9
spellingShingle Hanne Dvergedal
Jørgen Ødegård
Margareth Øverland
Liv Torunn Mydland
Gunnar Klemetsdal
Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
Genetics Selection Evolution
title Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
title_full Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
title_fullStr Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
title_full_unstemmed Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
title_short Selection for feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
title_sort selection for feed efficiency in atlantic salmon using individual indicator traits based on stable isotope profiling
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12711-019-0455-9
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AT margarethøverland selectionforfeedefficiencyinatlanticsalmonusingindividualindicatortraitsbasedonstableisotopeprofiling
AT livtorunnmydland selectionforfeedefficiencyinatlanticsalmonusingindividualindicatortraitsbasedonstableisotopeprofiling
AT gunnarklemetsdal selectionforfeedefficiencyinatlanticsalmonusingindividualindicatortraitsbasedonstableisotopeprofiling