In an opinion piece for the Advocate, the director of ocean sustainability science at the New England Aquarium talks about the F3 Challenge and what the first X Prize for aquaculture could do for the industry: drive innovation.
Gorjan Nikolik, senior industry analyst for Rabobank, presented on fishmeal’s transformation from commodity to a “high-priced strategic protein” at the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s annual GOAL conference in Vancouver. See the full video of his presentation.
A cooperative feeding demonstration conducted by USSEC and Amazon Fish Products S.A. evaluated the use of soy to partially replace fishmeal in diets for paiche, or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species.
Interest is growing in a two-year-long competition aimed at driving innovation in the aquafeed sector. The F3 prize for a demonstrably fish-free feed comes with a cash reward, and possibly a glimpse at the future.
Feed plants deal with varied raw materials, formulations and feeds for different animals, which can lead to quality issues and nutrient variations. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been successfully applied in Brazil to ensure feed quality standards at the farm level.
Various additives, many of plant origin, have been explored to replace the use of antibiotics in aquafeed. The authors compared the performance of rainbow trout fed diets containing oxytetracycline or mineral additives yellow loess and Song-Gang stone powder.
The digestive systems of shrimp are main entry points for bacterial and viral pathogens, and unfavorable microflora. Natural feed additives that combine different actions have proven effective in improving survival where shrimp are exposed to bacterial pathogens.
Aquaculture remains dependent on fishmeal and fish oil, crucial marine ingredients in aquafeeds, particularly at key life stages. Andrew Jackson, technical director at IFFO and one of the world’s foremost fishmeal experts, tells the Advocate that the two industries can coexist well into the future if properly managed.
Since fish consume more feed in the final stages of growout, the development of ecologically efficient and nutritionally adequate diets for adult fish should be a priority. Digestible protein-digestible energy ratios are important for optimizing feeding efficiency in feed formulation and aquaculture production.
A growth trial using hatchery-reared grouper was carried out to study the effects of stocking density on feed intake and subsequent growth. Contrary to common perceptions, fish stocked at the highest density had higher feed intake and body weights.
Uneaten or undigested feed and their metabolic byproducts contribute to declines of water quality in aquaculture systems. Accordingly, feed and feeding techniques require continuous review. Reducing overfeeding is an important opportunity for improving feed conversion ratios.
In line with the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s mission to advocate, educate and demonstrate responsible aquaculture worldwide, the Advocate is a forum for information and insight into one of the world’s most important and fastest-growing industries.
Turbot are typically fed diets containing 45 to 65 percent fishmeal. In a study that gave turbot feed with 40 percent soy protein concentrate, the fish had decent growth and excellent survival.
Poor-quality ingredients can’t become good-quality ingredients. Quality protein is essential for the healthy growth of any omnivorous or carnivorous aquaculture species. Insect meals seem to fill this need, and their mass-scale production appears to be sustainable.
Shrimp farmers in Australia believe that applying smaller amounts of feed regularly is an effective strategy for maximizing feed conversion in ponds. By providing more time for shrimp to rest between eating cycles, consistently lower FCRs have been achieved.
Incorporating feed manufacturing into an aquaculture business offers greater and more efficient product access, control and logistics, as well as additional profit potential. A feasibility study that plans for growth and includes both a business plan and economic analysis is a must.