THE INFLUENCE OF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS ON THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF COMMON CARP AND ASIAN CYPRINIDS

Elena Mocanu, N. Patriche, Magdalena Tenciu, M.D. Popa, Viorica Savin, V. Eşanu

Abstract
   The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence of production systems on the nutritional value of four fish species belonging to the Cyprinidae family.
   The present study considered four species: Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Ctenopharyngodon idella, reared in semi-intensive system, extensive system and in natural environment. Fish samples were harvested during summer months from Brateș Research and Development Farm – Galați (semi-intensive system), Cotul Chiului Experimental Base (extensive system) and from a natural environment represented by the confluence of the river Prut with the Danube river.
   From each production system, 20 fish samples were analyzed belonging to the four species considered for the experiment. The biochemical composition of fish meat (water content, ash, proteins and lipids) was analyzed and compared for the selected 2 years old cyprinid species, reared in different systems.
   The results have highlighted significant differences on the biochemical profile for the 4 species reared in the selected production systems. The biological material reared in the semi-intensive system had a higher proteins content and a lower lipids content compared to the extensive system or the natural environment, and the nutritional value of the fishes reared in the semi-intensive system was higher than the other samples analyzed.
   Fish with preferable biochemical characteristics in human nutrition result following the application of the semi-intensive system in aquaculture, by supplementing the natural food of the biological material with fodders that improve the nutritive properties of the fish meat.

Key words: Cyprinus carpio, semi-intensive system