SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE COMMERCIAL DIET FOR CARPIONE, Salmo carpio, TO SUSTAIN A PROPER GROWTH, WELFARE, AND FILLET QUALITY

Carpione (Salmo carpio) is a precious endemism of Lake Garda, particularly refined for its high-quality meat thus representing an important commercial resource for the local community. The farming of this species has been recognised as a solution to ensure the fish product and thus maintaining the gastronomic tradition. However, little is known about the natural diet of carpione raising a concrete issue for the farmers. Currently, a specific diet has not been yet formulated for the growth-out phase leading to the use of diets intended for other salmonids basing the choice on the best compromise between cost and benefit instead of the nutritional requirements of carpione. For that reason, the aim of the present study was to test four diets in which the protein fraction derived from different origins and evaluate their effects on growth, welfare and fillet biochemical composition of carpione during a 3-month feeding trial.