DIFFERENT FEEDING PATTERNS ON GROWTH AND MUSCLE QUALITY IN <italic>MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES</italic>

With the expansion of aquaculture production and transformations in farming models and structures, it has become an important issue for balancing the output and quality of aquatic products, and promoting resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness in aquaculture. To investigate the effects of different feeding patterns on growth performance and muscle quality in <italic>Micropterus salmoides</italic>, three feeding strategies were implemented: satiation feeding (SF), moderate feed restriction (70%, MFR), and high feed restriction (30%, HFR). After 28d of satiation feeding, compared to the MFR group, the SF group showed a 32.99% decrease in feed utilization (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), a 22.63% and 180% increase in liver body index and spleen body index, respectively (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05). Additionally, a 6.97% decrease in empty shell weight (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), a decrease in muscle moisture content, a 58.09% increase in crude fat content, a 3.77% decrease in crude protein content (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), a 21.40% decrease in total amino acid content (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), and a 31.29% increase in muscle hardness (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05). The myofiber interstitials increased, the bright and dark bands of muscle fibers became less distinct, and substantial interstitial fat accumulated. The muscle growth-promoting genes <italic>myog</italic> and <italic>myf6</italic> were significantly down-regulated (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), the growth-inhibiting gene <italic>mstn</italic> was significantly up-regulated (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), and the genes related to liver and muscle fat synthesis were significantly up-regulated (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05). Compared with the the MFR group, the specific growth rate of the HFR group was significantly reduced by 90.86% (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05) and an 82.23% decrease in feed utilization rate (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05). The muscle crude protein content reduced by 9.63%, while the total amino acid content increased by 15.45% (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05). The <italic>myog</italic> gene was significantly down-regulated (<italic>P&lt;</italic>0.05), and muscle fibers showed varying degrees of damage. In conclusion, moderate food restriction can enhance the muscle quality of <italic>M. salmoides</italic>, improve feed utilization, reduce feed consumption, promote group health, reduce farming costs, and provide a new breeding mode for enhancing efficiency and conserving feed resources.