title: Skeletal anomaly monitoring in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum 1792) reared under different conditions.
abstract: The incidence of skeletal anomalies could be used as an indicator of the "quality" of rearing conditions as these anomalies are thought to result from the inability of homeostatic mechanisms to compensate for environmentally-induced stress and/or altered genetic factors. Identification of rearing conditions that lower the rate of anomalies can be an important step toward profitable aquaculture as malformed market-size fish have to be discarded, thus reducing fish farmers' profits. In this study, the occurrence of skeletal anomalies in adult rainbow trout grown under intensive and organic conditions was monitored. As organic aquaculture animal production is in its early stages, organic broodstock is not available in sufficient quantities. Non-organic juveniles could, therefore, be used for on-growing purposes in organic aquaculture production cycle. Thus, the adult fish analysed in this study experienced intensive conditions during juvenile rearing. Significant differences in the pattern of anomalies were detected between organically and intensively-ongrown specimens, although the occurrence of severe, commercially important anomalies, affecting 2-12.5% of individuals, was comparable in the two systems. Thus, organic aquaculture needs to be improved in order to significantly reduce the incidence of severe anomalies in rainbow trout.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boglione
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Council for Research in Agriculture - Animal Production Centre, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domitilla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pulcini
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scardi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palamara
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cataudella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000002:abnormalities*; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development*; D058871:Organic Agriculture