FEEDING THREE LEVELS OF N-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS AT TWO LEVELS OF VITAMIN E TO ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO SALAR). GROWTH AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION.

Abstract

Duplicate groups of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Sed three dietary levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), (1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 % of the diets at 17 % feed lipid level), each with two vitamin E contents (30 and 300 mg a-tocopherol/Kg diet), showed no significant differenees in growth and mortality during a feeding study from March 1988 to September 1989. Increased levels of dietary n-3 PUFA resulted in a reduction of the total lipid content in the liver, and significantly affected the fatty acid composition of this organ. The fatty acid composition of the fillet reflected the dietary fatty acids, which points to the possibility of modifying the fillet lipid composition according to consumer's preferences. The levels ofvitamin E in fillet and liver reflected the feed levers, and were further influenced by dietary n-3 PUFA.