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Welfare in nile tilapia production: Dorsal fin erection as a visual indicator for insensibility

Animals, ISSN: 2076-2615, Vol: 11, Issue: 10
2021
  • 3
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 21
    Captures
  • 1
    Mentions
  • 1
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    3
  • Captures
    21
  • Mentions
    1
    • Blog Mentions
      1
      • Blog
        1
  • Social Media
    1
    • Shares, Likes & Comments
      1
      • Facebook
        1

Article Description

In aquaculture, to ensure animal welfare in pre-slaughter and slaughter stages, it is fundamental that fish are insensible. A method for evaluating fish insensibility is based on visual sensibility indicators (VSI) assessment (i.e., self-initiated behavior, responses to stimuli and reflexes). However, many stimuli used to assess fish responses are painful. Therefore, this study verifies whether the presence/absence of a dorsal fin erection (DFE) response can be used as a painless VSI in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three stunning protocols were applied to fish: benzocaine anesthesia (40 mg/L and 80 mg/L), ice water immersion (0–1, 2–3 and 5–6 °C) and CO2 stunning. After these stunning methods were applied in fish, the time of loss and return of DFE was observed, along with the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). All fish stunned using benzocaine and ice water immersion lose both VSIs, while 95% of fish stunned using CO2 lose these VSIs. In all treatments, DFEs return quicker than VOR. Therefore, DFE can be used as a VSI in Nile tilapia, which is simple for producers to assess and does not require a painful stimulus. However, the DFE alone does not totally ensure fish insensibility and must be used together with other well-established VSIs at fish farms.

Bibliographic Details

Camargo-Dos-Santos, Bruno; Carlos, Clarissa Lerois; Favero-Neto, João; Alves, Nina Pacheco Capelini; Gonçalves, Bruno Bastos; Giaquinto, Percília Cardoso

MDPI AG

Agricultural and Biological Sciences; Veterinary

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