The Scientific Research Division oversees all scientific research at Haki. It is headed by Dr Janos Oláh.
The Department of Biology, headed by Dr Pol Szabo, has been reorganized into three active research teams. The work of each team has relevance to development of knowledge in fish nutrition.
The Fish Health Research Team headed by Zsigmond Jeney, works on fish disease problems, assessment of fish health, immunology, and pathogen identification. This group has been developed in conformance with the Project's objective of increasing the level of activity in fish disease and disease prevention research. Studies on the interrelationship between nutrition and disease have also been included. Five new staff have been recruited and trained as members of this team.
The Hydrobiology Research Team headed by Andras Zsigri, has focused on technology for maximum production of fish and ducks, consistent with hygienic and economic constraints. Four team scientists work on scientific techniques for evaluation of hydrobiological parameters of the pond and other waters environment. This team supports certain elements of the group conducting nutrition-physiology research.
Nutrition Physiology Research Team headed by Istvan Csengeri studies the importance of fatty acid and lipid requirements of carps and catfish, and the protein and amino acid needs for catfish. The team consists of three other scientists.
The Pilot Fish Farm works directly with the Scientific Research Division to identify critical problems having an impact on improved economical fish production. When solutions are proposed by the Scientific Research Division the Farm will test these recommendations on a semi-industrial scale. This large unit has more than 800 ha of ponds for commercial production of fish and ducks at the station. In addition, cooperative work is conducted at several state fish farms where technology developed in the laboratory is tested employing production techniques requiring a minimum of scientifically trained personnel.
In addition, the Pilot Fish Farm operates a feed mill which can produce about 1 t/h of feed when 4 or 5 mm compressed pellets are manufactured. This capability allows the semi-industrial scale production of sufficient feed for pilot-testing in relatively small ponds, pens, cages or raceways. Special formulations have been developed for feeding trials on carp, catfish, pike-perch, sterlet, eel and trout.
The Water Recycle System is also operated by the Pilot Farm for use by the Scientific Research Division. The wet laboratory system in this unit has 80 m3 of fish living space with the water recycled once per hour. This allows sufficient tank and trough space to conduct replicate tests for several dietary parameters simultaneously. It has been used to advantage to stimulate early spawning of pike, pike-perch, carp and catfish.
2.2.1 Department of Biology. The fish health team has established that gill necrosis of carp, and perhaps also of catfish, can be induced by bacteria or by nutritional deficiency. Three strains of bacteria were involved: Flexibacter columnaris, Aeromonas hydrophilae and Streptacoccus D. Immunological and clinical diagnostic techniques were developed. The role of the environment and particularly of stress in the environment upon fish caused by low oxygen and high nitrite, nitrate, or ammonia levels have been investigated. Nutrition of the fish plays an important role in susceptibility to these secondary invaders. A major effort to study these interrelationships will be mounted in the next 5-year research plan.
The hydrobiology group has developed levels of liquid swine manure which can be used effectively with commercial fish production. Yields of 2.4 t/ha were achieved in the Hungarian pond system during the short 5-month growing season there. A three- and four-phase system has been developed for industrial catfish production with Silurus glanis. Nitrogen levels and compounds in various fish production systems have been studied and related to production technology. The nitrogen balance and turnover in natural waters holding important fish stocks have been studied, and model systems for evaluation of effects developed. The role of environmental stress upon diet utilization and fish growth will be studied in the next 5-year research plan.
The nutrition physiology group has developed the requirements of common carp for the essential fatty acids required for health and maximum growth potential. Preliminary estimates of the protein requirements for young growing sheatfish have been completed. A new feed was developed for carp fry feeding, and a satisfactory feed was formulated and manufactured for trout rearing which resulted in better trout production. Amino acid profiles of several fish feed commodities and finished feeds were assayed, and recommendations made for improved amino acid balance in feed formulations using available Hungarian commodities.
