The impact of restricted rationing upon growth, food conversion efficiency and body composition of rainbow trout

Juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, maintained under commercial conditions, were subjected to four different feeding regimes. Duplicate groups of fish were fed to satiation 3 times/d for either 7, 3, 2 or 1 d/wk over a 10 wk period. At the end of the trial, evaluations were made of group growth performance, body composition, and feed conversion efficiency (FCE). At the end of the experiment, no differences were discerned between fish fed either daily or 3 times/wk with respect to growth, FCE or body composition. Animals placed upon the two lowest rations were significantly smaller (P<0.05) than those fed daily and exhibited decreased condition factors and body lipid levels (P<0.05) and increased moisture content (P<0.05). Food conversion was least efficient in those fish provided the largest ration.