Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T08:48:31.617Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A preliminary approach on the stress assessment through harmless procedures in farmed seabream (Sparus aurata)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

M Herrera ,
J López  and
A Herves
M Herrera*
Affiliation:
IFAPA, Centro Agua del Pino, Ctra Cartaya-Punta, Umbría 21459, Cartaya, Spain
J López
Affiliation:
IFAPA, Centro Agua del Pino, Ctra Cartaya-Punta, Umbría 21459, Cartaya, Spain
A Herves
Affiliation:
IFAPA, Centro Agua del Pino, Ctra Cartaya-Punta, Umbría 21459, Cartaya, Spain
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: marcelino.herrera@juntadeandalucia.es
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Fish welfare is a key factor in ensuring successful cultures. Farmed fish that are stressed have been shown to be susceptible to pathologies and present lower growth rates. The present work seeks to check the efficacy of faecal cortisol as a non-invasive method of assessing acute stress in a commercial cultured fish, the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Typical stress markers (plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate) and faecal cortisol were measured in basal and post-stress (air exposure) state. Plasma and faecal cortisol, and plasma lactate after acute stress varied significantly compared to basal levels. Moreover, faecal cortisol showed a significant correlation with plasma cortisol and lactate. In conclusion, this work describes an easy, non-invasive and practical technique to assess acute stress in farmed fish. Further studies are needed to focus on other practical procedures for chronic stress measurements in sea-farms in order to improve the welfare of these animals.

Keywords

animal welfareaquaculturefaecal cortisolgilthead seabreamsea-farmstress
Type
Articles
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , November 2016 , pp. 423 - 427
Copyright
© 2016 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Acerete, L, Balasch, JC, Espinosa, E, Josa, A and Tort, L 2004 Physiological responses in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis, L) subjected to stress by transport and handling. Aquaculture 237:167–178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2004.03.018CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arends, RJ, Mancera, JM, Muñoz, JL, Wendelaar Bonga, SE and Glik, G 1999 The stress response of the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L) to air exposure and confinement. Journal of Endocrinology 163: 149–157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1630149CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barton, BA, Ribas, L, Acerete, L and Tort, L 2005 Effects of chronic confinement on physiological responses of juvenile gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata L, to acute handling Aquaculture Research 36: 172–179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2109.2004.01202.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chelini, MOM, Souza, NL, Cortopassi, SRG, Felippe, ECG and Oliveira, CA 2006 Assessment of the physiologic stress response by quantification of fecal corticosteroids. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 45: 8–11Google ScholarPubMed
Ellis, T, James, JD, Stewart, C and Scott, AP 2004 A non-invasive stress assay based upon measurement of free cortisol released into the water by rainbow trout. Journal of Fish Biology 65:1233–1252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00499.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, T, Sanders, MB and Scott, AP 2013 Non-invasive moni-toring of steroids in fishes. Veterinary Medicine Austria 100: 255–269Google Scholar
Haukenes, AH and Barton, BA 2004 Characterization of the cortisol response following an acute challenge with lipopolysac-charide in the yellow perch and the influence of rearing density. Journal of Fish Biology 64: 851–862. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2004.00354.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrera, M, Ruiz-Jarabo, I, Hachero, I, Vargas-Chacoff, L, Amo, A and Mancera, JM 2012 Stocking density affects growth and metabolic parameters in the brill (Scophthalmus rhombus). Aquaculture International 20(6): 1041–1052. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10499-012-9513-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrera, M, Ruiz-Jarabo, I, Vargas-Chacoff, L, De La Roca, E and Mancera, JM 2015 Metabolic enzyme activities in relation to crowding stress in the wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata). Aquaculture Research 46:2808–2818. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/are.12440CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ishibashi, Y, Ekawa, H, Hirata, H and Kumai, H 2002 Stress response and energy metabolism in various tissues of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus exposed to hypoxic conditions. Fisheries Sciences 68: 1374–1383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1444-2906.2002.00577.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iwama, GK, Afonso, LOB and Vijayan, MM 2005 Stress in fishes. In: Evans, DH and Clairbone, JB (eds) The Physiology of Fishes. CRC Press: Boca Raton, USAGoogle Scholar
Karsten, AH and Turner, JW 2003 Fecal corticosterone asssessment in the eupaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 299A: 188-196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jez.a.10300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kittilsen S, Ellis T, Schjolden J, Braastad BO and Øverli Ø 2009 Determining stress-responsiveness in family groups of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using non-invasive measures. Aquaculture 298:146–152. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2009.10.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Konjević, D, Janicki, Z, Slavica, A, Severin, K, Krapinec, K, Božić, F and Palme, R 2011 Non-invasive monitoring of adreno-cortical activity in free-ranging fallow deer (Dama dama L). European Journal of Wildlife Research 57: 77–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0401-1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laver, PN, Ganswindt, A, Ganswindt, SB and Alexander, KA 2012 Non-invasive monitoring of glucocorticoid metabolites in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in response to physiological and biological challenges. General and Comparative Endocrinology 179: 178–183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.08.011CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lays, N, Iversen, MMT, Frantzen, M and Jørgensen, EH 2009 Physiological stress responses in spotted wolf fish (Anarhichas minor) subjected to acute disturbance and progressive hypoxia. Aquaculture 295: 126–133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2009.06.039CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lupica, SJ and Turner, JW 2009 Validation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurement of faecal cortisol in fish. Aquaculture Research 40: 437–441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2109.2008.02112.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matos, E, Gonçalves, A, Nunes, ML, Dinis, MT and Dias, J 2010 Effect of harvesting stress and slaughter conditions on selected flesh quality criteria of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Aquaculture 305: 66–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2010.04.020CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Narayan, EJ, Webster, K, Nicolson, V, Mucci, A and Hero, J-M 2013 Non-invasive evaluation of physiological stress in an iconic Australian marsupial: The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). General and Comparative Endocrinology 187: 39–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.03.021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oliveira, RF, Almada, VC and Canario, AVM 1996 Social modulation of sex steroid concentrations in the urine of male cichlid fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Hormones and Behavior 30: 2–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/hbeh.1996.0002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palme, R 2012 Monitoring stress hormone metabolites as a useful, non-invasive tool for welfare assessment in farm animals. Animal Welfare 21: 331–337. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.21.3.331CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palme, R, Robia, C, Baumgartner, W and Möstl, E 2000 Transport stress in cattle as reflected by an increase in faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations. Veterinary Record 146: 108–109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.146.4.108CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pottinger, TG 2008 The stress response in fish: mechanisms, effects and measurements. In: Branson, E (ed) Fish Welfare. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford, UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470697610.ch3Google Scholar
Rettenbacher, S and Palme, R 2009 Biological validation of a non-invasive method for stress assessment in chickens. Berliner und Münchener tierärztliche Wochenschrift 122(1-2): 8–12Google ScholarPubMed
Salas-Leiton, E, Anguis, V, Martín-Antonio, B, Crespo, D, Planas, JV, Infante, C, Cañavate, JP and Manchado, M 2010 Effects of stocking density and feed ration on growth and gene expression in the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis): Potential effects on the immune response. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 28(2): 296–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2009.11.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schultz, DR, Perez, N, Tan, CK, Mendez, AJ, Capo, TR, Snodgrass, D, Prince, ED and Serafy, ED 2005 Concurrent levels of 11-ketotestosterone in fish surface mucus, muscle tissue and blood. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 21: 394–398. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2005.00650.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, AP and Ellis, T 2007 Measurement of fish steroids in water: a review. General and Comparative Endocrinology 153: 392–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2006.11.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, AP and Sorensen, PW 1994 Time course of release of pheromonally active gonadal steroids and their conjugates by ovulatory goldfish. General and Comparative Endocrinology 96: 309–323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/gcen.1994.1186CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shutt, K, Setchell, JM and Heistermann, M 2012 Non-invasive monitoring of physiological stress in the Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): Validation of a fecal glucocorticoid assay and methods for practical application in the field. General and Comparative Endocrinology 179: 167–177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.08.008CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simontacchi, C, Negrato, E, Pazzaglia, M, Bertotto, D, Poltronieri, C and Radaelli, G 2009 Whole-body concentrations of cortisol and sex steroids in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, Richardson 1836) during early development and stress response. Aquaculture International 17: 7–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10499-008-9174-xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simontacchi, C, Plotronieri, C, Carraro, C, Bertotto, D, Xiccato, G, Trocino, A and Radaelli, G 2008 Alternative stress indicators in sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax. Journal of Fish Biology 72:747–752. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01717.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Touma, C, Sachser, N, Möstl, E and Palme, R 2003 Effects of sex and time of day on metabolism and excretion of corticos-terone in urine and feces of mice. General and Comparative Endocrinology 130: 267–278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0016-6480(02)00620-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turner, JW, Nemeth, R and Rogers, CS 2003 Measurement of fecal glucocorticoids in parrot fishes to assess stress. General Comparative Endocrinology 133: 341–352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0016-6480(03)00196-5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wasser, SK, Hunt, KE, Brown, JL, Cooper, K, Crockett, CM, Bechert, U, Millspaugh, JJ, Larson, S and Monfort, SL 2000 A generalized fecal glucocorticoid assay for use in a diverse array of nondomestic mammalian and avian species. General and Comparative Endocrinology 120: 260–275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/gcen.2000.7557CrossRefGoogle Scholar