APPARENT LACK OF RESPONSE OF SALMON AFFECTED BY PANCREAS DISEASE TO PANCREATIC-ENZYME REPLACEMENT THERAPY

A trial was conducted to establish whether there would be any benefit in feeding mammalian pancreatic enzymes to farmed salmon clinically af fected by pancreas disease. Pancreatic enzymes were incorporated at a rate of 4 kg/tonne of feed and fed at 0.6 to 0.9 per cent bodyweight/d ay for 41 days to one cage of salmon. The weights, lengths and conditi on factors were established for the fish before and after the feeding trial and compared with those for an adjacent cage of untreated fish. Histopathology and blood amylase and lipase activities were monitored weekly. No significant increases in weight or condition factor, and no reduction in mortalities were recorded. Histopathology confirmed the presence of pancreas disease throughout the trial and there were concu rrent skeletal and cardiac myopathies. Blood amylase activities showed no significant change and were considered to be within normal ranges; blood lipase activity remained undetectable.