Impact of water column reduction rate at harvesting of Nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) on skin injuries, hematological and biochemical parameters and bacterial load of fish and water: a field study | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 2, Volume 19, Issue 4, December 2015, Page 9-22 PDF (417.49 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2015.2273 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Radi Mohamed1; Fatma Abouelenien2; Nagham Elsaidy2; Ahmed Hamza3 | ||||
| 1Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine (Animal Behavior and Welfare), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University (33156), Egypt. | ||||
| 2Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine (Animal, Poultry and Environmental Hygiene), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University (33156), Egypt. | ||||
| 3Consultant of fish quality and hygiene, general authority of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr El-sheikh branch, Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of reduced water column in different periods on health and welfare of the Nile tilapia during harvesting. As a common practice for gathering and harvesting of tilapia in Egypt, the water column was reduced gradually until reach the lowest level (30 cm). The water column was reduced from 150 to 30 cm in different periods as follow; Group1 (G1, control group), at which the water column was reduced from 150 to 30 cm in 72 hour (h). Group 2 (G2), at which the water column was reduced from 150 to 30 cm in 48 h. Group 3 (G3), at which the water column was reduced from 150 to 30 cm in 24 h. The results showed that, there was a significant (P˂0.05) decrease in muscle total bacterial count (TBC), fish injuries, heterophil /lymphocyte (L/H) ratio, serum glucose, Lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and an increase in water, skin TBC, dissolved oxygen (DO), unionized ammonia (UIA), and total leucocyte count (TLC) in G3 compared to G2 and G1. In conclusion, the process of reduced water column before gathering and harvesting needs to be carried out within 24 h to reduce injuries and bacterial load of fish. In addition, it improves the immune system and health of fish that reducing the risk of infection. Therefore, slow reduction of water column height during harvesting produces crowding stress altering health status and welfare of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Fish harvesting; water column; skin injuries; water quality; bacteriological parameters; fish welfare | ||||
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