Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2023

Enhancement of Soybean Meal Alters Gut Microbiome and Influences Behavior of Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)

Höfundar / Authors: Alexandra Leeper 1,2,3 , Clara Sauphar 3,4,5, Benoit Berlizot 4, Gabrielle Ladurée 4, Wolfgang Koppe 3 , Stephen Knobloch 3,6 , Sigurlaug Skírnisdóttir 3, Rannveig Björnsdóttir 7, Margareth Øverland 2 and David Benhaïm 4

Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. Department of Research and Innovation, Iceland Ocean Cluster, Grandagardur 16, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland, 2. Department of Animal and Aquaculture Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1420 Aas, Norway, 3. Department of Research and Innovation, Matís Ltd., 12, Vínlandsleid, 113 Reykjavik, Iceland, 4. Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University, 551 Hólar, Iceland, 5. Department of Biological Sciences Ålesund, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 6025 Ålesund, Norway, 6. Department of Food Technology, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, 36037 Fulda, Germany, 7. Faculty of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland

Kynnir / Presenter: David Benhaïm

The aquaculture sector relies heavily on soybean meal (SBM) and soy-derived proteins, largely due to their availability, low price and favorable amino acid profile. However, for Atlantic salmon, the inclusion of soybean meal, and soy protein concentrate (SPC) in certain combinations has been associated with impacts on gut health and welfare. This study evaluated two SBM treatments that target improved gut health and were formulated for inclusion in freshwater phase salmon diets: enzyme pre-treatment (ETS), and addition of fructose oligosaccharide (USP).
These were compared with untreated soybean meal (US) and fish meal (FM). The effects on growth performance, gut microbiome, and behaviors relevant to welfare were investigated. Both diets containing the treated SBM supported growth performance comparable with FM and altered the gut microbiome. Fish fed SBM displayed a tendency toward more reactive behavior compared with those fed the FM-based control. All fish tested had a low response to elicited stress, although ETS-fed fish responded more actively than those fed the US diet. SBM-fed fish had the lowest repeatability of behavior, which may have implications for welfare. Both treatments of SBM are a promising option to optimize the application of this widely used protein source for aquaculture feeds.