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1. BACKGROUND
1.1. CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART OF RESEARCH IN THE FIELD
There is currently considerable scope for applying studies on voluntary feed intake in fish. In fish farming, it is of prime importance to define feeding strategies which provide the best growth performance and the optimum feed conversion ratio. Self-feeding strategies seem particularly promising. The match between the feed intake capacity and the amount of feed presented determines the amount of non-ingested feed, which is a source of pollution and lost revenue for the fish farmer. Moreover, optimizing the various factors which stimulate ingestion improves growth performance and feed utilization and therefore decreases the amount of waste per unit of biomass produced.
Considerable advances have been already made in this field during the last decade thanks to the development of computer controlled demand feeders specifically adapted to aquaculture. Several laboratories in France, Greece, Spain, Norway and Sweden have simultaneously developed demand feeders for their own research needs and initiated programmes on voluntary feed intake in fish. International collaboration quickly followed, especially between France and Greece, and later Spain, with COMETT grants.
Although the research involved is fundamental, its purpose is strictly applied. Voluntary feed intake studies should therefore be carried out under experimental conditions close to the farming conditions of each species. Growth performance should also be measured under all conditions. This approach requires that voluntary feed intake be measured according to objective criteria. Computer controlled demand feeders are well adapted to this purpose. That is why the network can initially be restricted to laboratories using this technique.
1.2. WHY THE COOPERATION SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COST
The need for a more formal collaboration under a COST network was discussed at the Aquaculture '94 symposium held in Bordeaux from 23 to 27 March 1994. The symposium included a session on demand feeders organized by one of the proponents. This session enabled several of the laboratories working on this topic to make presentations and highlight the essential aspects of research to be carried out on voluntary feed intake in fish under a COST network.
The diversity of economically relevant biological models makes it necessary to establish relationships between laboratories mastering each of these models. Moreover, because of its complexity, research in the field of voluntary feed intake
in fish calls for a multi-disciplinary approach that can be achieved only by combining scientific expertise and resources from several Member States. This
Action will effectively promote such coordination, resulting in more efficient use of both Community and national funds in order to develop and maintain a European approach to understanding the factors affecting voluntary feed intake in fish.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTION
This Action will achieve three main objectives:
- to promote, coordinate and harmonize pre-competitive research on the factors affecting voluntary feed intake in fish;
- to provide the necessary know-how for increasing the competitiveness of European research at a crucial moment for the development of new management techniques in fish feeding;
- to promote new feeding strategies in fish farms.
3. SCIENTIFIC CONTENT
The Action will cover five main areas.
3.1. TECHNICAL ASPECTS IN STUDYING FEED INTAKE
The possibility of monitoring each food demand as a discrete event, when food is continually available, is a prerequisite for the study of voluntary feed intake. In the early 1970's some authors trained fish to hit a rod to obtain food for short term studies of food preferences and feeding behaviour. These first devices were not
computerized, but the results obtained were very promising. During the last decade, new self-feeder systems were designed in different European laboratories in such a way, that each time a fish activates a rod, an electric pulse is generated and, through an interface (computer or electronic device), triggers an electric feeder that delivers a predetermined amount of food. Each system developed by the different laboratories have their own advantages and disadvantages, and can be more or less adapted to different fish species or experimental conditions.
3.2. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING FEED INTAKE
The environment of the fish is probably the factor whose effect on dietary feed intake has been best studied worldwide. Many studies show that in each species, there is an optimal temperature corresponding to maximum voluntary feed intake. Similarly, it is known that an oxygen deficiency decreases voluntary feed intake. Low concentrations of contaminants and various pollutants affect voluntary intake negatively. Eco-toxicology is mainly oriented towards defining legal doses for various chemical components or the impact of a pollutant on some behavioural factor, but the threshold of each pollutant above which voluntary feed intake decreases is of vital importance for properly managing fish feeding.
Eco-tolerance programmes based on voluntary feed intake criteria are being initiated by several proponents of the network.
3.3. BEHAVIOURAL FACTORS AFFECTING FEED INTAKE
Behavioural factors often decrease voluntary intake and may even lead to feed refusal. Many examples of this have been described by some of the proponents. Examples involve the fish stocking rate, the sex-ratio, the demographic structure of the fish population, the presence of another species close to or within the production unit, the effect of human interventions. Learning behaviour, as well as the way fish are operating the trigger of the self-feeder is also strongly species-dependent.
Studies on fish behaviour in relation to self-feeding techniques will be conducted.
3.4. CHRONOBIOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING FEED INTAKE
Chronobiological aspects are particularly important and several teams proposing the network devote a major part of their research to studying them. These studies show that feeding rhythms are controlled by an endogenous clock in some of the studied species, and that some environmental cues, like light/dark alternation or temperature, are acting as "zeitgebers". As a consequence, the feeding time itself
is an important factor in terms of feed intake. Feeding time also affects nutrient
utilization, and the level of nitrogen excretion.
3.5. DIETARY FACTORS AFFECTING FEED INTAKE
Palatability of feed has a major effect on feed acceptance. It is noteworthy that antibiotics decreases feed palatability. Feeds based on plant proteins rather than on animal proteins may also lead to palatability problems. This has important economic and environmental consequences because using plant proteins reduces both feed production costs and amount of phosphorus in the waste. It is therefore worth studying how to improve the palatability of these feeds, using different feedstuffs, or feeding stimulants. Demand feeders are particularly well adapted to investigating the effect of feed composition on feed intake because they put the animals in a choice situation. This was used by some proponent laboratories of the
COST network for testing the ability of fish to discriminate between diets poor in zinc or in essential amino acids and non-deficient diets.
The effect of dietary composition on voluntary feed intake will be an important field of research in the network.
4. TIME-TABLE
The time required to pursue the scientific projects will be five years. The evaluation of the progress of the action will be by annual meetings on specific subjects. The first three meetings will be:
1996: methods for studying voluntary feed intake in fish
1997: environment and self-feeding relationships
1998: appetite in fish.
A final meeting will be held in winter 2001 to evaluate the achievement of the action. International experts from outside Europe will be asked to participate and provide a critical analysis on the achievements.
5. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
The action will be divided into five working groups covering the five main orientations described in the scientific content:
WG 1. Technical aspects in studying feed intake. The aim of this working group will be to share technical information and to harmonize technological and methodological approaches among laboratories.
WG 2. Environmental factors affecting feed intake.
WG 3. Behavioural factors affecting feed intake.
WG 4. Chronobiological factors affecting feed intake. This working group will consolidate research on feeding rhythms and will try to elucidate the relationships between feeding time and feed intake.
WG 5. Dietary factors affecting feed intake.
Coordinators of these working groups will be designated by the Management Committee. These working groups will meet regularly to coordinate and promote research activities.
Annual evaluation workshops (see Time-table) will be held:
- to review the results achieved and will include Officials from the EC Commission;
- to promote cooperation within the participating institutes;
- to finalize publications; and
- to evaluate progress achieved in practical applications.
The Management Committee will meet at least once a year, if possible in conjunction with the annual workshop, or in conjunction with research group meetings.
The final evaluation of the action is specified in the section "4. Time-table".
6. ECONOMIC DIMENSION OF THE ACTION
Scientific staff : 40 man-years x ECU 60 000 = ECU 2,40 million
Technical staff : 15 man-years x ECU 40 000 = ECU 0,60 million
Doctoral students staff: 10 man-years x ECU 25 000 = ECU 0,25 million
Total staff : 65 man-years ECU 3,25 million
Laboratory equipment and consumable ECU 1,25 million
Overhead costs ECU 0,50 million
Total estimated costs covered from national sources ECU 5 million/year.
Current status
The Action officially entered into force on 17 January 1996, with the signature of Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Spain and Sweden. There are currently 10 signatory countries.
During the first meeting of the Management Committee of the Action (Brussels (B), 23 Apr 1996), 5 Working Groups were constituted (see below) and it was decided that each Working Group should meet once in 1996 and a second time early in 1997.
WG1 : Feeding management and engineering
The capacity to monitor each feed demand as a discrete event, even when food is continually available, is a prerequisite for the study of voluntary feed intake. In the early 1970s some workers carrying out short-term studies of food preferences and feeding behaviour trained fish to nudge a rod to obtain feedfeed. These first devices were not computerised, but the results obtained were very promising. During the last decade, new self-feeder systems were designed in different European laboratories in such a way, that each time a fish activates a rod, an electric pulse is generated and, through an interface (computer or electronic device), triggers an electric feeder that delivers a predetermined amount of feed. Each of the various systems developed by different laboratories hasits own advantages and disadvantages, and is more or less adaptable to different fish species or experimental conditions. The aim of this working group will be to share technical information, and to harmonise technological and methodological approaches among laboratories.
Scientific co-ordinators :
Michaelis Paspatis (GR), Sunil Kadri (UK)
WG2 : Environmental factors affecting feed intake
The environment of the fish is probably the factor effecting in dietary feed intake that has been best studied worldwide. Many studies show that in each species, there is an optimal temperature corresponding to maximum voluntary feed intake. Similarly, it is known that an oxygen deficiency decreases voluntary feed intake. Even low concentrations of contaminants and various pollutants affect voluntary intake negatively. Eco-toxicology is mainly oriented towards defining lethal doses for various chemical components or the impact of a pollutant on some behavioural factor, but the threshold of each pollutant above which voluntary feed intake decreases is of vital importance for properly managing fish feeding.
Scientific co-ordinators :
Denis Coves (F), Patrick Kestemont (B)
WG3 : Behavioural factors (including chronobiological factors affecting feed intake)
Behavioural factors often decrease voluntary intake and may even lead to feed refusal. Examples involve the fish-stocking rate, the sex-ratio, the demographic structure of the fish population, the presence of another species close to or within the production unit, the effect of human interventions. Learning behaviour, as well as the way fish are operating the trigger of the self-feeder is also strongly species-dependent. Chronobiological aspects are also of prime importance : feeding rhythms are controlled by an endogenous clock in some of the studied species, and environmental cues, such as light/dark alternation or temperature, may supply time-information. The feeding time itself is an important factor in terms of feed intake, nutrient utilisation, ant the level of nitrogen excretion.
Scientific co-ordinators :
Anders Alanärä (S), Juan-Antonio Madrid (E), Thierry Boujard (F)
WG4 : Physiological control of feed intake
The effects of some physiological factors on voluntary feed intake has never been studied directly because of experimental difficulties. Neuropeptides, hormones, stretch receptors in the stomach wall, the central nervous system, and more precisely the hypothalamus, might all be supposed to contribute to the control of appetite and satiety, but the respective importances of such factors are not fully understood at present. The use of recently developed techniques, such as labelled feed or computer controlled self-feeders, may lead to a better understanding of physiological control of feed intake.
Scientific co-ordinators :
Dominic Houlihan (UK), Anders Kiessling (S)
WG5 : Dietary factors affecting feed intake
Palatability of feed largely affects feed acceptance. It is noteworthy that antibiotics decreases feed palatability. Feeds based on plant proteins rather than on animal proteins may also lead to palatability problems. This has important economic and environmental consequences because using plant proteins reduces both feed production costs and amount of phosphorus in the waste. It is therefore worth studying how to improve the palatability of these feeds, using different feedstuffs, or feeding stimulants. Demand feeders are particularly well adapted to investigating the effect of feed composition on feed intake because they put the animals in a choice situation.
Scientific co-ordinators :
Emidio Gomes (P), Manuel de la Higuera (E)
A grant for the support of Short-Term Scientific Missions was awarded to the Action (Administrating Institute : INRA Hydrobiologie, Saint Pée-sur-Nivelle (F).
Dziedzina nauki (EuroSciVoc)
Klasyfikacja projektów w serwisie CORDIS opiera się na wielojęzycznej taksonomii EuroSciVoc, obejmującej wszystkie dziedziny nauki, w oparciu o półautomatyczny proces bazujący na technikach przetwarzania języka naturalnego. Więcej informacji: Europejski Słownik Naukowy.
Klasyfikacja projektów w serwisie CORDIS opiera się na wielojęzycznej taksonomii EuroSciVoc, obejmującej wszystkie dziedziny nauki, w oparciu o półautomatyczny proces bazujący na technikach przetwarzania języka naturalnego. Więcej informacji: Europejski Słownik Naukowy.
Projekt nie został jeszcze sklasyfikowany według klasyfikacji EuroSciVoc.
Wskaż dziedziny nauki, które twoim zdaniem są najbardziej istotne z punktu widzenia tego projektu i pomóż nam usprawnić naszą usługę klasyfikacji.
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