| Résumé | Traditional approaches to improving desirable production traits such as enhanced growth rate and feed conversion have been through selective breeding programs based on phenotypic analysis, however, this is slow as improvements are only obtained over several generations. Consequently, the use of molecular genetics to fast-track development of superior broodstock has become an area of great interest. Although genetically modified organisms have been criticized for their sustainability and food safety, many feel that they offer one of the best solutions to world hunger and malnutrition. Gene transfer technology has been used to create transgenic lines of fish with improved production characteristics and efforts have been made to identify genetic markers in salmon that are associated with desirable production traits. One of the primary concerns of fish farming is the potential for negative impacts on the aquatic environment; in particular, the effect of domesticated salmon escaping and introducing genes into wild salmon populations. Thus, the use of reproductively-sterile populations for farming is an attractive alternative. A number of methods exist for producing sterile fish, however triploidy induction is the only method that has been successfully applied on a commercial scale. This presentation provided an overview of a collaborative project with a focus to characterize and improve growth performance and nutrient utilization of four full-sibling populations of Atlantic salmon (transgenic/diploid, transgenic/triploid, non-transgenic/diploid, non-transgenic/triploid). Several studies are in various stages of completion focussing on several life stages; including first-feeding fry (<30 g), juveniles (30-300 g) and large fish (up to 1 kg). These studies will provide useful information to help determine if diets for conventional non-transgenic (non-TG)/diploid (DIP) salmon are suitable for growth enhanced transgenic (TG) and reproductively sterile triploid (TRIP) fish and where further improvements may be required. |
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