dl ‐methionine enrichment in diets fed to Atlantic salmon increases apparent digestibility

In the current study, we tested whether the addition of a small amount of crystalline dl ‐methionine to a fishmeal‐based diet would affect general sulphur metabolism and apparent digestibility in Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). Triplicate tanks of salmon with mean BW of half a kilo were fed a control diet or the control diet supplemented with 0.2 wt% dl ‐methionine (+17% methionine relative to control diet) for a period of 3 months. Feed intake and thus nutrient intake did not differ significantly between treatments. Fish fed the diet supplemented with dl ‐methionine had 18% higher mean intake of methionine. The apparent energy digestibility was significantly improved in the salmon fed the methionine‐enriched diet as was the methionine digestibility. Salmon fed the methionine‐supplemented diet had about 32% higher plasma‐free methionine concentration and 25% more total homocysteine 5 h post prandial. No difference was observed in hepatic‐free methionine, but hepatic cystathionine (∼62%) and taurine (∼20%) were significantly higher in fish fed the methionine‐enriched diet due to a higher transsulphuration. In the liver, taurine might be conjugated to bile acids (BAs), and conjugation of BAs increases their solubility and enhances their biliary secretion affecting the digestibility. Both faecal and plasma BA concentrations were elevated in fish fed the methionine‐enriched diet, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. Taken together, our data show that feeding salmon a fishmeal‐based diet supplemented with a small amount of crystalline dl ‐methionine increased the apparent energy digestibility, possibly through an increased liver transsulphuration and taurine production, which might enhance BA conjugation and biliary secretion.