QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barnett, B. J. Articles by Slinger, S. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Barnett, B. J. Articles by Slinger, S. J.

Relative Biopotency of Dietary Ergocalciferol and Cholecalciferol and the Role of and Requirement for Vitamin D in Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)^1,2,3,

Department of Nutrition, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada

A growth assay was conducted for six consecutive 28-day periods by using triplicate groups of 110 rainbow trout with an average initial body weight of 3.0 g. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D₂ or D₂) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃ or D₃) were included to provide levels of 200, 400 and 800 IU/kg in a semipurified casein, gelatin diet. Further treatments with 0 vitamin D and 1600 IU/kg of D₃ were also included. The resulting growth curves were significant for parallelism. Statistical analysis showed that D₃ was 3.27 times as potent as D₂ (limits 2.33 to 4.58). The dietary requirement for D₃ was found to be in excess of 800 IU/kg of diet. Vitamin D-deficient fish showed no change in bone ash but exhibited clinical manifestations of tetany with no hypocalcemia. A complete absence of tetany was seen only in the groups fed 800 and 1600 IU of D₃ per kilogram. None of the levels of D₂ used were sufficient to completely alleviate symptoms of this disorder. These studies of rainbow trout provide evidence that vitamin D is required for the normal functioning of white muscle without altering the calcium content of the plasma or epaxial musculature.

KEY WORDS: • ergocalciferol • cholecalciferol • muscular development • requirements • trout

¹ This study represents part of the dissertation submitted by B. J. Barnett in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.Sc. degree, University of Guelph.

² This work was financed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Fisheries Branch, Fisheries and Environment Canada, Fisheries and Marine Service and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

³ A preliminary report of this work was presented at the 1979 Joint Meeting of the American Institute of Nutrition, American Society for Clinical Nutrition and Nutrition Society of Canada. Barnett, B. J., Cho, C. Y. & Slinger, S. J. (1979) The requirement for vitamin D, and relative biopotency of dietary vitamins D₂ and D₃ in rainbow trout. J. Nutr. 109, xxiii (abs. 34).

⁴ To whom reprint requests should be sent.

Manuscript received 6 January 1982.