Effect of Handling and Transport on Cortisol Response and Nutrient Mobilization of Golden Shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas
Academic Article
Overview
Research
Identity
Additional Document Info
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
As the most popular baitfish in the USA, the golden shiner is subjected to frequent handling and transportation episodes prior to retail marketing and recreational use. Considerable mortality and economic loss can occur during handling and transportation. Limited information is available concerning stress responses, such as cortisol secretion, and mobilization of nutrients, such as zinc and ascorbic acid, during handling and transportation of this fish species. Therefore, two concurrent experiments were performed to characterize cortisol responses, as well as changes in whole-body zinc and visceral ascorbic acid concentrations, after harvesting, grading, and transporting by ground or air. During ground transportation, fish were sampled immediately after being subjected to the following conditions: seined from a commercial pond in Lonoke, Arkansas (I), released into vats from the loading truck (II), graded by bar grader (III), loaded onto a hauling truck (IV) and after transport for 10 h to Brenham, Texas (V). Fish were also sampled before and after air freight shipment. Whole-body cortisol appeared to be a reliable endocrine marker for stress response of golden shiner subjected to handling and transportation. Grading by bar grader was the most stressful event in the process of handling and transporting golden shiners, resulting in a significantly elevated whole-body cortisol concentration of 107 ng/g tissue, compared to concentrations of 6.3, 32.3, 15.7, and 30.4 ng/g tissue, for stages I, II, IV, and V, respectively. A significant increase in whole-body cortisol concentration was also observed after air transportation of 22 h duration. No significant reductions in whole-body zinc or visceral ascorbic acid concentrations were observed. Copyright by the World Aquaculture Society 2009.
