Aquafeed Vol 12 Issue 3 2020 by Aquafeed Media

Vol 12 Issue 4 October 2020

AQUAFEED Advances in processing & formulation An Aquafeed.com publication

EXTRUSION TECHNOLOGY, CONTROL AND MODELS Barley protein concentrate Feed strategies against parasites Advances in feed additives Bullfrog farming Published by: Aquafeed.com LLC. Kailua, Hawaii 96734, USA www.aquafeed.com info@aquafeed.com

AQUAFEED

VOL 12 ISSUE 4 2020

Contents

BARLEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE 23 Digestibility studies in trout and salmon conducted by USDA researchers showed BPC to be highly digestible, greater than 96% in salmon.

ROBOT QUALITY CONTROL 17 A fully automated robot-operated laboratory that can be installed in the manufacturing process and analyses all the parameters that would otherwise be performed manually.

SHRIMP SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ORGANIC TRACE MINERALS 37 Organic trace minerals can help reduce the impact of waste from shrimp production on the environment by reducing mineral excretion.

A LOOK AT BULLFROG FARMING 48 The first bullfrog commercial feed was formulated and produced in 1984 and since then, bullfrog farming in China has been on a fast track.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

AQUAFEED

VOL 12 ISSUE 4 2020

Contents 6

Interview

News Review

13 Extrusion solutions for RAS feed production

17 New robot technology for quality control in aquafeed manufacturing

20 Towards quantitative engineering for aquafeed extrusion process operation

New protein feed ingredient: Barley protein concentrate

sustainable mix of free amino acids improves A shrimp feeding behavior

reventive additive strategies for the control of P ectoparasites and secondary infections in farmed fish

Use of a natural feed additive to control parasites in fish Supporting the sustainability of shrimp production with organic trace minerals The first probiotic-coated feed launched on the Vietnamese market

The role of innovative feed additives in aquaculture: Supporting health and performance to reduce antibiotic requirement

A look at the bullfrog value chain in China

quaculture Phoenix â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Backstory to the development A of a novel RAS feed company

Columns 45 Albert Tacon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Aquaculture and aquafeed production in 2018

Calendar of events

To read previous issues in digital format or to order print copies, visit: http://www.aquafeed.com/aquafeed-magazine/

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

AQUACULTURE

Share Our Vision Species-specific solutions for a sustainable and profitable aquaculture

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At Adisseo, we offer species-specific nutrition and health solutions to aquaculture customers around the world. There is a lot to gain by optimizing your feed additive strategy. Our aqua experts are passionate to help you find out how to increase your productivity and profitability. We look forward to sharing our vision with you!

www.adisseo.com

Carlos Díaz is CEO of BioMar, a Danish global feed company that produces feeds for 45 different fish and shrimp species in more than 80 countries. After becaming a Veterinarian at the University of Concepcion in Chile, he joined BioMar Chile in 2000 as S&M Manager when BioMar bought Ecofeed, a Chilean fish feed company, where he had worked since 1994. He became Managing Director in 2003 and then Vice President Americas in 2006. In 2009, he changed his position from Vice President of BioMar Americas to Vice President of BioMar Continental Europe and from then several positions including business development. He has held the position of CEO of BioMar since 2014.

INTERVIEW AQUAFEED: Would you give us a brief outline of your journey through aquaculture and how it brought you to where you are today? CD: I was originally a veterinarian and started my career in fish farming before going into feed. From the first moment, I really liked the aquaculture industry, an interesting and dynamic area where there are always new things to develop. I joined a Chilean company that had a Danish royalty to introduce extruded feeds in Chile, back in 1994, so my link to Denmark comes way before BioMar. I have had the opportunity to work in different fields from technical, nutrition, operations,

with Carlos Díaz research, to sales and marketing, and I have to say it helps a lot in understanding the whole value chain as well as the farming challenges. My journey in BioMar began in 2000 and it’s been a fascinating one, with the opportunity to lead and grow this great company. AQUAFEED: BioMar is investing in innovation for alternative ingredients. Could you give us an overview of the most recent changes regarding the sourcing of new raw materials? CD: As a solely dedicated aquaculture feed producer, we are extremely focused on innovation, investing

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in R&D and a big part of that is new raw materials. We do not talk about replacement but more complementing different sources of nutrients. Through time, we have reduced our dependency on single sources and try to have more alternatives, bringing sustainability and less volatility to our products and concepts, as we believe this is what this industry needs. This is more challenging, of course, and requires a professional and wellstructured global sourcing department interacting with other parts of the organization such as R&D, formulation, sustainability, quality and food safety. Requirements are growing and the systems to deal with this complexity also, so we need to be ahead, and we think we are. Byproducts, single-cell raw materials, novel oils, etc. will all be a part of the basket going forward, and we see some other alternatives in the pipeline for the future. AQUAFEED: According to BioMar’s latest Sustainability Report, the company achieved a five-year average 1:1 or below FIFO ratio. What is the impact of alternative ingredients on this reduction? CD: As a purpose-driven company, one of our guiding principles is sustainability, which together with innovation sets our strategic agenda. Years ago, we started an ambitious sustainability program, internally, and this reached further to our products and concepts. Why? Because as we like to say, “it is the right thing to do”, but also over time we have found great opportunities to differentiate and help our customers through this. The FIFO ratio was one of the objectives, and as stated in the report, we have managed to accomplish it. The role of alternative ingredients to compliment fishmeal and fish oil has been extremely important, and of course, without them, it would have been impossible. But of course, to be able to use all these alternatives it means years of research and development, but at the same time, we need to maintain high performing products, economic efficiency, safety while maintaining the attributes of the species we feed, for example, flesh quality, EPA and DHA content, color, etc., in the case of salmon and trout.

Through time, we have reduced our dependency on single sources and try to have more alternatives, bringing sustainability and less volatility to our products and concepts, as we believe this is what this industry needs.

AQUAFEED: Sustainability is key to BioMar’s agenda. How is BioMar lowering its carbon footprint? CD: As stated, before we started our sustainability program back in time, a long list of targets and KPIs were established. These targets finished this year and we are in the process of reevaluating, our operations, targets, materiality assessment, etc., to continue developing what has been going well and address the challenges, plus maybe some more focus on new things. We see sustainability and, in general, ESG as part of our business. We start from a strong purpose and from there escalate all our guiding principles, values, ambitions, targets and KPIs. Carbon footprint is one of these important targets, which of course is very important, and with the development in our program, we link more and more our investments, KPIs, technology development, etc., to comply with the ambitious goal of reducing it. Of course, this is not a walk in the park since we are growing at the same time, different countries, products, species, sources of energies, etc., which keeps us focused on it all the time. The evolution of our approach starts from a sustainability program and report, to making ESG part of everything we do, that means it is on top of the agenda in strategic and financial decisions. We believe this is the way to run a company like ours in these times, and especially going forward.

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AQUAFEED: Investors are pouring millions into RAS farms. What are the main challenges you think this expansion will face and what is BioMar doing to assure the feed supply? CD: It is exciting to see what is going on in RAS around the world. BioMar has a long history in this field since our Danish company has been specializing in this area for a long time, long before the boom. The trick in RAS feeds is to understand that we need to take care of two living organisms, the fish of course but also the biofilters. At the same time performance needs to be good, meaning the TEP (Total Economic Performance) needs to be right. This can be challenging and requires a lot of research and development, not only in nutrition but especially in physical aspects of the feeds and the perfect quality all the time. One mistake in these systems can be expensive, I think we see every day in the news that all these projects are not a “walk in the park”, failures and problems will be part of the development in all of them. In BioMar, we have created an especial global RAS taskforce, including expertise in R&D, BioFarm (technical assistance), marketing, sustainability and sourcing, to develop and market the perfect product for each system and work systematically with different customers and species. We dedicate important resources of our R&D budget and we have just invested in a state-of-the-art facility in BioMar Denmark to increase our capacity but more importantly to deal with the increasing demands in technology due to physical quality requirements as this goes hand-inhand with nutritional requirements. We believe we have an important market position not only in salmon but in other species with our concept ORBIT. AQUAFEED: With the recent investments in China and Vietnam, BioMar has made a big move into the Asian markets. How do you expect other emerging markets, such as Africa, will evolve? What are the main challenges? CD: For the time being, we are focused on Asia and South America as emerging markets, and especially in shrimp as part of our strategy and we try to stay focused. In strategic development, it is very easy to find things to do, however, it is more difficult to decide what not to do, at least in the strategy period. Even if we believe aquaculture in Africa will develop in time,

it has not been our focus for this strategy period. We started as BioMar in trout, moved to salmon, then to marine species and some other freshwater species, with our last movement in shrimp. With our new organization setup, we focus on business segments and we strongly believe what we have built in other fish species, knowledge and market positions, that we can transfer to shrimp. Of course, China is much more than shrimp, but the species we focus on in that country, where we already have two plants, are mainly cold water and marine species where we have strong knowledge and position in other markets. The main challenges for all these markets, including Africa, are the increasing demand in environmental and sustainability restrictions, water availability and a legal framework, which for sure will come like it did in developed aquaculture areas like salmon. AQUAFEED: BioMar along with IBM Food Trust, Kvarøy and Tellspec offer digital solutions that promote transparency in the supply chain. How can the feed industry take advantage of blockchain technology to introduce digital trust? CD: It has been interesting to be part of this project with an innovative customer like Kvarøy, a farmer who is always ahead in his field. I strongly believe that in these times, and maybe especially now after what we have seen with COVID-19, consumers will focus more and more on what they eat, not only that it is tasty and healthy, but produced responsibly and complying with ESG standards, with strict food safety procedures and strict traceability. I believe this technology will help make all data more available and will answer the need for transparency. It will be exciting to see how it will develop but for sure transparency and food trust will be top on the agenda for seafood in the future. AQUAFEED: Even though the demand for animal feed has been relatively stable, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the supply chain and some countries are moving to domestic feed production. What are the main short-term effects do you expect in the aquafeed industry? CD: In the short term, we have seen in some markets our customers hit by the decrease in demand in the

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HORECA sector, which has been the main effect. We have not seen an important decrease in production and therefore, demand for feed, and we have not seen what you mention in terms of domestic feed preference. Also, in the shrimp sector on top of the HORECA effect, we have seen a big influence on what is happening in China, where they claim traces of COVID19 in some products. The decrease in production is easier in shrimp where the production cycle is much shorter, I think is more difficult in fish. So the main effect has been in prices and therefore profitability of our customers, which of course could make our business riskier for a while. Having said that, we have lived through many big sanitary and price crisis in different species around the world in BioMar and we have managed, supporting good customers and working together with solutions when needed. We believe the HORECA demand will come back slowly but surely, however during this time other channels in retail like online, etc. have developed at an incredible speed, so I am sure that the comeback for the major seafood products will be stronger than before. AQUAFEED: Where would you like to see the aquaculture industry in the next ten years? CD: I believe aquaculture has a big role to play in feeding the planet in the coming decades, but of course, it must be done in a sustainable and responsible way. By far, the most efficient way of producing a healthy, sustainable and tasty protein is by aquaculture, so I am very optimistic about the future. I would like to see an industry more proactive in communication, highlighting the positive aspects of this production and responsible, correcting or working hard in the environmental challenges in all areas. There are different kinds of seafood products, from low to high end, with different price segments, but all of them require taking care of the water, environment, working actively with communities and all stakeholders. In summary, I would love to see aquaculture through all these proactive actions in the position it deserves, attracting new talent and developing areas where this economic activity could be the solution, and, at the same time, developing more brands and good stories in the developed markets such as salmon, shrimp and other fish species.

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NEWS REVIEW Highlights of recent news from Aquafeed.com Sign up at Aquafeed.com for our free weekly newsletter for up-to-the-minute industry news

Skretting to test NovoNutrients novel protein ingredients NovoNutrients, a Silicon Valleybased innovator making protein through carbon capture and utilization, was selected to test at Skretting’s Aquaculture Research Center facilities, bringing ever closer their shared objective of removing barriers to sustainably fed, affordable

food by 2025. NovoNutrients is among a handful of sustainable innovations given a pioneering level of support within Skretting. The explicit goal is striking a procurement contract through which Skretting would commit to purchases of NovoNutrients’ feed ingredients.

Adisseo to acquire FRAmelco Group Adisseo signed an agreement to acquire the Dutch feed additive company FRAmelco Group. This transaction is part of Adisseo’s strategy to boost specialties growth to become one of the worldwide leaders of specialty feed ingredients in animal nutrition. FRAmelco Group, a familyowned multinational group

headquartered in the Netherlands, operates three plants located in the Netherlands, Spain and Thailand. Most of FRAmelco sales are made of glycerides (short- and mediumchain fatty acids) to maintain the animal in good health and improve animal performance and lysolecithins to improve feed digestibility.

Cargill invests in new RAS capabilities and partnerships Cargill has invested in and established a new lab focused on RAS and the nutritional and welfare needs of salmon farmers now and in the future. The $1 million investment provides upgraded independent recirculation units in the lab which enable Cargill’s scientists to conduct continuous concept testing of new feed

solutions covering all aspects of RAS production. The lab adds to Cargill’s existing innovation center

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in Dirdal, Norway, where research has been conducted for more than three decades. The company has also formed strategic partnerships with key research institutions to work together and conduct trials s uch as Marineholmen RAS lab and the Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute.

NEW ON THE MARKET BioMar’s new diet enhances seabream skin color before harvest

BioMar introduced FINESTA, a finishing diet for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) that intensifies skin colors before harvest. “With FINESTA, the color appears quickly and gradually provides the

appearance of wild fish. By enhancing the vibrant colors of fish, FINESTA seeks to provide added value to the fish farmer business,” said Iannis Karacostas, BioMar EMEA marine product manager.

Delacon enters the aquafeed market with a phytogenic solution Delacon entered the aquafeed market with Syrena® Boost, a new phytogenic solution to serve modern aquaculture practices. The product is a premixture of specific saponins, spices and essential oils that targets gut performance and productivity. The company performed trials on tilapia that showed improved feed intake (6%), a boost in specific growth rate (5%) and a ROI (4:1). “For developing Syrena® Boost, we released our phytogenic expertise. In vivo

and in vitro trials underline the performance of the product. It is a natural product with high quality, standardized and proven active ingredients,” said Alex Makol, species leader aqua.

Skretting introduces new carbon-neutral feed concept

Skretting Italy developed the new carbon-neutral feed concept, Feed4Future. This first-to-market offering pairs Skretting’s extensive knowledge of the nutritional requirements of aquaculture species with sustainable, lower impact feed ingredients responsibly sourced from carefully selected suppliers. In utilizing Skretting’s MicroBalance technology and incorporating innovative raw materials and high-quality byproducts sourced from the food industry that don’t compete with human consumption, Feed4Future diets have a 10% lower carbon footprint than standard diets, with the remaining CO2 emissions compensated for by carbon credits. For those producers looking to go a significant step further with fully carbon-neutral farms, the company has also developed CarbonBalance, a new program supporting fish farmers and helping them achieve this ambition.

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NEW ON THE MARKET Cargill’s new micro NIR technology for quality testing in live salmon

With the new portable EWOS SalmoNIR technology, salmon farmers have immediately available data on fat content, pigment, omega-3 and other important parameters to inform their farm

management in real-time. This data, obtained with the SalmoNIR micro NIR sensor (nearinfrared spectroscopy), allows salmon farmers to test live fish and quickly assess results to better manage nutrition and improve the quality of their final product. This original technology was developed by the Cargill Innovation Center in Dirdal, Norway and initially available in the North Sea. The new SalmoNIR is built on this original technology and has been significantly improved, updated and tested in Norway and Chile with excellent results. SalmoNIR will now be available in all salmon farming markets, including Chile, North America and the North Sea.

Evonik introduces its own GAA-product Evonik launched GuanAMINO®, its own guanidinoacetic acid-product (GAA) used to enhance energy metabolism in livestock production. The launch of GuanAMINO® comes almost two years after Evonik’s former supplier terminated its agreement, although Evonik continued to supply its customers until at least the end of 2018. The end of the previous arrangement opened options for Evonik to further develop the use of GAA in animal nutrition and supply the global market with its own GAA product.

Liptoaqua's new product based on a nutraceutical approach to reduce negative impact of stress in fish Vital Plus H.R. aims at reducing the negative impact of stress on fish, promoting a faster recovery under intensive production conditions. Vital Plus H.R. has natural ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties useful to prevent chronic enteritis process due to periods

of high feeding rates, sudden changes of temperature, seasonal feeding changes (from winter to spring and summer to autumn). It also incorporates plant extracts with immunomodulatory activity, which helps reduce the risk of opportunistic bacterial diseases.

Menon’s sustainable ingredient available to purchase Menon Renewable Products’ functional and sustainable ingredient used in animal feed diets, MrFeed®, is now commercially available. Four new functional

ingredient products were launched to serve various animal feed markets including shrimp, finfish, poultry and swine. These innovative ag-biotech products

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significantly enhance animal growth, survival and overall health while reducing the carbon footprint resulting from current animal feed practices.

Extrusion solutions for RAS feed production Jens Stengaard and Spencer Lawson, Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.

The population of the world is growing at a steady pace. The current population, according to the United Nations website, is roughly 7.6 billion people. By 2050, it is expected that the global population will approach 9.8 billion people. If the numbers are examined further, one could make the argument that the world’s population is experiencing a net increase of approximately 8,600 people per hour (+/- 208,000 per day). If someone were to ask, what does the entire population have in common? The most basic and simplistic answer would be … Everyone eats! Clearly, an individual’s diet is dependent on several factors. These factors could include but are not limited to,

geographic location and economics. In a hypothetical scenario, someone could say that due to the quality of life increasing in certain parts of the globe, people are desiring a higher quality protein. In many parts of the world, poultry, swine and beef are the top proteins of choice. However, someone could make the argument that consuming fish is preferred over the previously mentioned protein sources and as aquaculture is predicted to supply the majority of aquatic dietary protein in 2050, it will be necessary for aquaculture to deliver a significantly enhanced volume of food in a sustainable manner.

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producers are already making plans on how to cope with this increasing demand in the future. Listening to RAS farmers, the importance of high-quality feed is essential for a beneficial business for RAS installation. Not only is nutrition quality of high importance, but also the physical quality of the feed. Some of the existing feed production lines may not meet the rigorous quality requirements RAS feeds demand. For this reason, it may be prudent to look for newer technology to produce feed.

Where the global wild fish catch has been more or less constant since the 1990s, the world’s demand for aquaculture (farmed fish) has kept on growing dramatically and with an estimated growth of additional two million tons per year approaching 2050, it will be necessary for the aquaculture industry to deliver this significantly enhanced volume of food in a sustainable manner. Also, special attention needs to be given to the impact on environmental integrity, farmed organism health, welfare and human health. Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS) could in some degree be the answer to that. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has put some planned RAS projects on hold, it will most likely be a temporary hold. The global demands for sustainable aquaculture food are fast-growing and therefore, the demands for RAS projects will surely be relaunched very soon and potentially with more projects to follow. With the potential increase of RAS installations, the demands for feed will also increase. Global feed

Wenger® AquaFlex XT twin screw extruder with High Intensity Preconditioner (HIP), dual die assembly and overhead rail system.

Wenger® Manufacturing expanding its knowledge of RAS feeds To expand Wenger®’s knowledge on the aquatic industry, specifically RAS, testing is being performed in Sabetha, KS, where the Wenger® corporate offices are located. The testing, that is currently underway, evaluates fish performance by compare different extrusion technologies (AquaFlex, single screw, and standard twin screw). In addition to fish performance, water turbidity levels are also being evaluated between the extrusion technologies mentioned above. What are the requirements of RAS feeds? RAS provides improved feed management opportunities and control over the environment of the farming operation. However, land-based fish farming represents a potential source of water pollution from feces and unconsumed feed. Premium quality feed can reduce the pollution potential and must have the following characteristics: • Highly digestible feed nutrients (requires optimized starch gelatinization to reduce feces volume). • The feed contributes to firm fish feces, which allows for easy removal from recirculated water. • High water-stability (less leaching of soluble and insoluble nutrients in this closed water system). • Feeds must be free from dust and fines, as this will create excessive load on the filter systems. • No fat leakage (vacuum infusion coating recommended) and minimal surface fat. • Consistent and uniform feeds from batch to batch.

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Pellet structure from AquaFlex XT.

Pellet structure for single screw.

• Optimum customized densities ensuring correct sinking rates. • Pasteurized feed to prevent disease transmission and process controls to assure feeds meet minimum process conditions for safe feed.

What would a system producing RAS feeds look like? Traditional twin-screw extrusion design has served its purpose as the aquafeed industry developed. Yet the industry now stands at a tipping point where new trends, such as recirculation aquaculture system is demanding higher product qualities and pushing the traditional systems beyond their limit. Flexibility is key and what the new generation Wenger® twin screw extrusion systems are built on. The AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system is tailored for aquatic feed manufacturers to maximize their investment by providing them the capability to manufacture a wide range of products such as floating, sinking, shrimp and micro feeds in different product sizes while utilizing a broad ingredient and recipe selection. This flexibility is possible given these systems

are engineered with a specialized screw profile design to deliver higher volumetric capacity and the capability to operate using a wide range of thermal and mechanical energy cooking conditions. Using feed manufactured with enhanced quality will ensure a low turbidity level (clear water) improving the entire performance and productivity in a recirculating aquaculture system. Thermal and mechanical energy are the main energy sources utilized in the extrusion process. A review of current extrusion processes in the industry indicates the ratio of consumed thermal to mechanical energy ranges from 1:1 to 2:1. This ratio determines utility costs as well as maintenance costs, specifically the costs to replace worn rotating elements. A recent study compared energy input and operating costs for three extrusion systems. It was observed that even though the total energy input (thermal + mechanical) was higher for an AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system, it was less expensive to operate over time compared to a standard single screw and twin-screw extrusion system. An extrusion system with the ability to vary this energy utilization ratio and shift to the most favorable energy sources from a cost standpoint brings increased flexibility to the cost of operating the system. Wenger® AquaFlex XT twin screw extruder system is engineered with the flexibility of operating in higher thermal to mechanical energy ratios. This is achieved by using a twin-screw profile giving more volumetric capacity, compared to traditional twin screw extruders. The special screw profile makes it possible to add more steam injection and thereby adding more thermal energy extruder barrel. The higher flexibility within the thermal/mechanical energy ratio, the better the raw materials being used in the formulation can be better utilized. Additionally, the system is coupled with a high intensity preconditioner (HIP) which provides less product moisture variation and increases greater distributive mixing resulting in increased and uniform starch gelatinization compared to other steam conditioning designs. As a result of a wider energy utilization ratio and a specialized twin screw profile, coupled with a preconditioner that delivers less product moisture variation and increased cook, the flexibility of the AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system becomes key to increase product offerings and differentiation.

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Thermal energy is considered a more natural way of cook when compared to mechanical energy. This translates to less shear and more gentle kneading to continuously develop the visco-elastic dough product matrix and an improved cell structure of the extruded pellet. With an AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system, aquafeed manufactures can expand their offering to shrimp, floating, micro, sinking, fish soluble inclusion feed and RAS-specific feed, all made on the same production line. In two separate case studies in India and Vietnam using an AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system, a 10% formula cost reduction was observed producing shrimp feed and tilapia feed without compromising product integrity. Pellet durability indices above 99% were recorded in both studies, where product size ranged from 0.6 mm up to 2.2 mm in shrimp feed and 1.8 mm up to 7.0 mm in tilapia feed. The AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system has been engineered to provide the aquafeed manufactures

a precise tool giving full production flexibility with optimized operation cost. The AquaFlex XT twin screw extrusion system simply outperforms single and traditional twin screw extrusion systems.

More information: Jens Stengaard Global RAS Sales Manager Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., USA

Spencer Lawson RAS Process Director Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., USA E: aquafeed@wenger.com

CLEAN FEED. CLEAN WATER. Wenger Extrusion Solutions for RAS Feed Production Wenger innovative extrusion solutions deliver clean, durable, nutritional feeds specifically designed for the most efficient RAS operations. Feeds produced on Wenger systems maintain their integrity better and longer, for clean and clear water. So you feed the fish, not the filter. Learn more about the Wenger RAS advantage. Email us at aquafeed@wenger.com today. PHONE: 785.284.2133 | EMAIL: AQUAFEED@WENGER.COM | WENGER.COM USA

BELGIUM

TAIWAN

BRASIL

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CHINA

New robot technology for quality control in aquafeed manufacturing Thomas Jorgensen, ATLINE

Manual quality analysis is a mandatory part of aquafeed production.

The global aquafeed manufacturing industry is constantly challenged by fluctuating raw material prices, lacking continuity in quality and the general availability of particularly essential protein sources. This places great demands on feed manufacturers to manufacture feed that meets nutritional specifications while also having the right physical properties that ensure that the feed is stable and functional until the fish take in the feed at the farm. To ensure economically profitable manufacturing, frequent quality analyses are required both before and during manufacturing as well as in all subprocesses such as grinding, mixing, extrusion, drying, coating and cooling.

Quality control from intake to finished product During the entire manufacturing process from raw material intake to the finished product, essential quality parameters are analyzed, primarily by manual resources from either manufacturing or the laboratory. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is used to analyze the nutritional values of meal mixes and pellets, depending on which stage in the process the analysis takes place. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is a complex analysis, the accuracy depends on significant reference data, but one which nearly all aquafeed manufacturers have developed over many years in a laboratory context. In addition, during the manufacturing of the feed,

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The robot laboratory performs up to 250 analyses per hour and can analyze products up to six manufacturing lines.

several physical analyses are performed from extrusion to the finished product such as bulk density, floating and sinking properties, oil absorption, hardness, durability, product sizing, water stability, etc. All these continuous analyses are necessary to ensure the quality of the finished product. In the most high-tech aquafeed manufacturing plants, many resources are used by both manufacturing and laboratory staff to continuously analyze the quality after each subprocess. This is done to ensure that the current product quality is not only acceptable but the processing equipment performs optimally to control the cost of manufacturing.

How does it work? The laboratory automatically receives samples from the process via samplers, extracting a specific number of samples at the desired stages of the manufacturing process. The sample is then automatically transported to the laboratory where the robot initiates the preparation of the pellet sample such as grinding or compacting prior to analyzing it. The integrated software technology then generates a quality report. If the results do not meet the specified minimum and maximum tolerances for the product, an alarm is given to both manufacturing and laboratory staff. From sampling to analysis, the robot laboratory requires no human resources. The laboratory can analyze all types of samples from the production process of extruded aquafeeds from meal samples to both wet/hot and dry/cooled pellet samples. In addition to NIR, analyses are also performed of all essential physical elements that are typically analyzed in the manufacturing of sinking and floating feed, such as bulk density, sinking or floating property, product sizing, hardness, durability, oil absorption, dust, color, water activity and stability.

Robot-operated process analysis laboratory ATLINE has produced a fully automated robot-operated laboratory that can be installed in the manufacturing process and analyses all the parameters that would otherwise be performed manually. There are no people involved in the process from sampling to final analysis, being an advantage in terms of the uniformity of the analysis sequence/process, as is the option to increase the analysis frequency. The robot laboratory uses standard laboratory analysis instruments and exisiting calibrations, especially in relation to NIR analysis are reused. One or more robots may be installed, depending on the required analysis frequency and manufacturing volume, in terms of the number of manufacturing lines.

Quality analysis software for automatic reporting In a traditional aquafeed manufacturing process, the collection of data for analysis is often carried out by the staff, performing one or more analyses and entering the data in an electronic QA system that subsequently produces a final QA report. A final test is performed in the laboratory on samples that have been manually shipped there, and then the order is released for sale. The robot laboratory includes a QA software technology that saves and collects all the data analyzed in a shared data file which, ultimately, automatically generates a QA report without involving manufacturing or laboratory staff. For each analysis, a photo of the analyzed product is provided along with the report.

Inside the robot laboratory during quality analysis.

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The robot-operated laboratory installed in an aquafeed manufacturing process.

The software communicates directly with the manufacturer’s ERP/MES/IS system which means that all product tolerances are known and can be checked. This, in turn, means that any quality issues in the process are quickly resolved and, thus, a minimum quantity of waste product is generated. The software can automatically grant permission for the release of a product for sale. If too many analysis parameters do not meet the specified tolerances, the product is not released. This ensures that end-users do not receive products which subsequently cause problems in the feeding system due to poor physical properties, or that the expected FCR for the feed is not optimum in terms of nutritional values. If the manufacturer receives claims from an enduser, all analysis data including photos can be retrieved by the software for up to 12 months after the manufacturing date.

preventing the use of unnecessary energy resources which creates a poor manufacturing economy. By extracting samples at various points in the drying process and using the robot laboratory to analyze the moisture contents and moisture activity in the product, the drying process can be continuously adjusted without the involvement of human resources. From each drying zone in both a vertical and horizontal drying process, the current moisture contents are analyzed and it is, thus, possible to control it precisely that the optimum balance between nutritional contents and optimum energy consumption can be controlled.

Conclusion By combining the technology for fully automated quality control of aquafeed, significant savings can be achieved which can lead to better profitability for manufacturers, such as: • A standardized analysis method so that the human influence affecting accuracy is not crucial. • Reduced claims from end-users due to increased amount of supplied feed which is not in alignment with quality analysis specifications. • Nutritional control of the feed to ensure that products containing more fat and protein than required are not sold. • Reduced rework during manufacturing due to improved control of the most essential subprocesses such as grinding, mixing, extrusion, drying, coating and cooling. References available on request

Automatic process equipment control Due to the high analysis accuracy in the automatic robot laboratory, in addition to product quality assurance, the technology can also be used to set up and monitor essential process equipment such as extruders, dryers and coaters. For example, accurate control is very important in the drying process that is very energy-intensive. Controlling the moisture contents of the product ensures that the nutritional contents of the feed are properly controlled while

More information: Thomas Jorgensen Managing Director ATLINE, Denmark E: tj@atline.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Towards quantitative engineering for aquafeed extrusion process operation Hongyuan Cheng, Min Xue, Junguo Li, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Tor A. Samuelsen, Nofima, Mette Sørensen, Nord University

Viable aquatic feed in extrusion production The quality of extruded pellets is determined by the diet formulation and the extrusion processing parameters. The diet is formulated to meet the nutritional requirement of the aquatic species, while extrusion processing parameters can be adjusted to control buoyancy, sinking velocity, hardness, durability, water solubility and oil absorption capacity, as shown in Figure 1. The physical properties of the pellet are affected by the viscous behavior of the diet formulation in the extruder barrel. New feed formulations are usually tested and optimized in lab or pilot scale extruder systems and then upscaled to industrial production where different extruder systems are used. Although the extrusion technology has been applied for decades, the extrusion is still a “black box” and depends on specific skills to operate the extruder. Often, the optimization process is costly and time-consuming. A quantitative engineering method for the feed extrusion process operation is warranted. Quantitative engineering method for pellet quality control Physicochemical changes and rheological ingredient properties are important factors that define the final physical pellet quality. In fish feed extrusion, pellet expansion and immediate shrinkage can be visually observed when the pellets are discharged from the extruder die holes and is controlled by the die melt viscosity and the viscoelastic behavior of the extrudate. Therefore, we assume that extruded

Figure 1. Feed pellet quality is determined by the feed formulation and the extrusion parameters

Figure 2. Quantitative calculation for every pellet quality parameter.

pellet quality parameters can be described by empirical rheological equations. In this work, a rheological equation-based model has been developed to predict physical quality

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Table 1. Data sources.

Code

Extruder and throughput

Reference

TAS1

Wenger TX52, 150 kg/h

Samuelsen et al., 2018

TAS2

Wenger TX52, 150 kg/h

Samuelsen & Oterhals, 2016

Thermo Fisher TSE 36, 75kg/h

Draganovic et al., 2011

MS1

Buhler, BCTG 62/20, 200 kg/h

SĂ¸rensen et al., 2011

MS2

Buhler, BCTG 62/20, 200 kg/h

SĂ¸rensen et al., 2010

300

Expt. TAS1 Fitted TAS1 Expt. TAS2 Fitted TAS2

Hardness (N)

250

100

200

150

100

Expt. VD Fitted VD Expt. MS1 Fitted MS1 Expt. MS2 Fitted MS2

50 0

No of experimental runs

Expt. TAS1 Fitted TAS1 Expt.TAS2 Fitted TAS2 Expt. VD Fitted VD

1000

Bulk density (g/L)

900 800 700 600 500

Expt. MS1 Fitted MS1 Expt.TAS2 Fitted TAS2

60 55 50 45 40

400 300

Figure 4. Experimental and model equation fitted hardness values.

Oil adsorption (%)

Figure 3. Experimental and model fitted hardness values.

No of experimental runs

35 0

No of experimental runs

No of experimental runs Figure 5. Experimental and model fitted bulk density values.

Figure 6. Experimental and model fitted oil adsorption capacity values.

parameters. The new model was used to fit or correlate the effects of formulation adjustment and extrusion process parameters on feed pellet quality, e.g. bulk density, hardness, oil absorption, durability, water solubility. Equation coefficients were calculated based on extrusion process databases generated from feed formulations and extrusion processing

parameters given in published peer-reviewed articles. New models were generated that could predict feed pellet quality parameters in an extrusion process, based on historical data from the production of the specific feed formulations. The new models have the same mathematical equations but different model coefficients for different feed formulations and

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

100

Expt. VD Fitted VD

Durability (%)

Oil adsorption (%)

50 45 40

70 60 50 40

run 5

Expt. TAS1 Fitted TAS1 Expt. MS1 Fitted MS1 Expt. MS2 Fitted MS2

run 8

run 6

No of experimental runs

No of experimental runs Figure 7. Experimental and model fitted oil adsorption capacity values.

Figure 8. Experimental and model fitted Homen durability values.

extruders. Every part of the model has its physical background. The calculation map is shown in Figure 2.

from skill-based towards a quantitative engineering method and can be used to control the extrusion process and predict physical feed quality. The new model shows a good correlation with published extrusion data. The absolute average deviations of the new model correlation for feed pellet quality are 8.5% for hardness, 4.8% for bulk density, 6.5% for oil absorption capacity, 15.7% for Holmen durability.

Calculation examples The examples are from published articles (Table 1) that include some typical applications in practice, such as fishmeal replacement, fishmeal and starch source changes, extruder screw configuration adjustment. The calculation results are presented in Figure 3-8. As can be seen from Figures 3-8, the model can satisfactorily compute the pellet quality parameters and can be applied as quantitative engineering applications to replace statistical models.

References available on request

More information: Hongyuan Cheng Professor – Feed Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, China E: chenghongyuan@caas.cn MAX.

Towards quantitative engineering for extruder operation Based on data collection on the specific extrusion system, the new rheological equation-based model may be a tool to move the extrusion process operation 15.00 [381]

393.31 [9990] 391.31 [9939]

MIN.

Ă12.00 [305]

F085 SHIMPO

36.91 [937]

MAX.

31.19 [792]

MIN.

29.19 [741]

67.28 [1709]

39.00 [991] 101.44 [2577]

30.38 [772]

ALL FROM A SINGLE SYSTEM

BIN Inlet

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19.16 [487]

64.83 [1647]

108.59 [2759] DCC Inlet

End of Head

CYL. Disch.

15.00 [381]

With Extru-Tech’s ADT (Advanced Densification Technology), the possibilities are far reaching. ADT technology gives you the option to produce sinking feeds with excellent consistency and density. That same ADT technology can produce floating

FROM SINKING TO FLOATING

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284.00 [7214]

278.03 [7062] 1.93 [49]

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199.38 [5064]

18.00 [457]

1.00 NPT

P.O. Box 8 • 100 Airport Road • Sabetha, KS 66534, USA Phone: 785-284-2153 • Fax: 785-284-3143

12.56 [319]

15.88 [404]

24.59 [625]

03 54

256T

108.28 [2750]

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3/4 NPT

2.00 NPT

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80 NORGREN

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Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020 102.13 [2594] 111.12 [2822] 195.72 [4971]

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48.00 [1219]

57.69 [1465]

ET-296i.indd 1

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2.00 NPT [WATER]

53.25 [1353]

66.50 [1689]

New protein feed ingredient: Barley protein concentrate Clifford Bradley, Montana Microbial Products

Aquaculture needs new sources of protein ingredients to sustain growth, especially plant-derived protein concentrates suitable for high inclusion rates in feeds for carnivorous fish and shrimp. Montana Microbial Products (MMP) developed a 65% protein concentrate from barley (BPC) as a protein ingredient for aquaculture feeds. Through partnerships with Scoular to produce BPC for North America and with Pannonia Bio to produce for Europe, BPC will be available for aquaculture markets in mid 2021. In September, Scoular broke ground for the first North American BPC facility in Idaho. Pannonia is completing the design for a BPC production facility in Hungary to supply Europe.

Table 1. Barley protein concentrate guaranteed analysis (%) “as shipped” basis.

Ash Crude fat Crude fiber Moisture Crude protein Carbohydrate

Composition (%) 3.6 10.0 5.0 <10 60.0 11.4

Barley protein concentrate MMP produces BPC from barley using a biological process of “enzymatic fractionation” developed and patented by the company. The challenge with

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Table 2. Percent apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) values for Atlantic salmon fed the various ingredients 1.

Algae

Atlantic salmon

OM DM Protein 85.50

82.10 ab

84.65 c

BPC

80.04

81.08 ab

96.25 a

Canola protein

75.45

70.83 bc

86.19 bc

Corn gluten meal

88.41

86.36 a 94.15 a

Soybean meal

80.19

69.60 bc

Soy protein concentrate

77.08

65.56 c 90.70 abc

ANOVA P

0.0990

0.0195

93.68 ab 0.0306

Mean of two replicates (Âą standard error of mean). Values within columns and with a common superscript letter do not differ significantly (P > 0.05). OM, Organic matter, DM dry matter.

developing a 65% protein concentrate from barley is starting with a feedstock typically containing only 12% protein. BPC has less than 5% crude fiber and no antinutritional factors (Table 1). BPC is US FDA approved for use in aquaculture feeds. Barley brings advantages as a protein concentrate feedstock. It is the lowest-cost major grain and is available in large quantities. The use of barley supports aquaculture sustainability ratings and best aquaculture practices. Barley is not genetically modified, requires less fertilizer and fewer pesticides than other grains and grows in cold and dry climates which limit options for alternative crops. The BPC process uses barley now fed to livestock and does not compete with human food.

BPC tests in fish Digestibility studies in trout and salmon conducted by USDA researchers showed BPC to be highly digestible, greater than 96% in salmon. Studies also showed that BPC in feeds reduces water pollution and can provide benefits in recirculating aquaculture systems. The phosphorus content is low and the

BPC process makes it highly bioavailable. Moreover, BPC in feeds increases feces density. MMP scaled the process in a one ton/day BPC pilot plant which operated for two years 24/7 achieving consistent production and generating the engineering design data for the commercial production plant. The company provided BPC from the pilot plant to the USDA, university researchers, feed suppliers and aquaculture companies for feed trials in multiple farmed fish species including trout, salmon, arctic char, cobia, seabream, Coho and red drum. Trials showed BPC equivalent to fishmeal and superior to soy protein concentrates in protein availability, fish growth rates and feed conversion efficiency.

Salmon trials A digestibility study conducted at the USDA ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center, Franklin, Maine compared digestibility coefficients for Atlantic salmon fed with different plant-based protein ingredients at 30% inclusion rates (Burr & Wolters, 2013). The trial showed BPC has the highest apparent protein digestibility coefficient (Table 2).

Table 3. Performance parameters of Atlantic salmon smolts fed the basal 11% BPC or 22% BPC diet.

Diet

Energy

Protein retention

Final average weight

Weight gain

FCR

SGR

Basal

26.35

31.02

247.7

124.3

1.06

0.62

11% BPC

23.30

34.54

234.4

113.5

1.37

0.60

22% BPC

34.28A

37.74

282.0

155.3

1.09

0.72

p value

0.0120

0.7230

0.0655

0.0152

0.098

0.1175

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Table 4. Growth and quality data of Atlantic salmon post-smolts fed one of four experimental diets for the 12-week study period.

Commercial

Diet

Parameter

BPC 50%

BPC 100%

Initial weight

90.9 90.4 90.7 90.2

Final weight

171.3

177.6

173.0

BPC/FPC 176.5

FCR

1.17 1.01 1.03 1.00

0.78

SGR

0.81

A salmon growth study, also conducted at the USDA Cold Water Lab, evaluated BPC at 11% and 22% inclusion rates in feed to replacing a portion of fishmeal and soy protein concentrate in a reference feed (Burr et al., 2013). Salmon fed the diet containing 22% barley protein concentrate had signiﬁcantly great energy retention compared to the ﬁsh fed the other diets (Table 3). A salmon feeding study conducted in Scotland tested BPC as a 50% or 100% replacement for soy protein concentrate (10.75% or 21.5% inclusion) in feeds and BPC in combination with an experimental fish protein concentrate to replace both SPC and a portion of fishmeal (Bell et al., 2014). BPC in each of the experimental diets was not significantly different than the commercial feed with 20% SPC and 4.8% fishmeal (Table 4).

Trout trials BPC has been extensively tested in trout feeds, both in research trials at up to 40% inclusion rates in fishmeal-free feeds and in a commercial-scale test. In the commercial trial conducted by Clear Springs Foods (Hagerman Idaho), BPC was used at a 30% inclusion rate in the feed for 375,000 trout grown in commercial raceways for two years. Fish were grown

0.77

0.80

from fry to commercial weight and sold to the market. There was no difference in growth, feed conversion efficiency or flesh quality between trout raised on the 30% BPC diet and trout raised in adjacent raceways on a conventional fishmeal diet. References: Burr G; Wolters W. (2013) Report on nutrient digestibility of alternative ingredients for Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr. USDA/Agricultural Research Service National Coldwater Marine Aquaculture Center, Franklin Maine USA. Burr G S; Barrows F T; Wolters W R. (2013) Growth of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, fed diets containing barley protein concentrate. Journal of Applied Aquaculture, 25:1–9, 2013. Bell J. G. et al. (2014) Evaluation of barley protein concentrate and fish protein concentrate, made from trimmings, as sustainable ingredients in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) feeds. Aquaculture Nutrition, 22: 326-334. doi: 10.1111/anu.12250

More information: Clifford Bradley President Montana Microbial Products, USA E: cbradley@montana.com

MMP scaled production of Barley Protein Concentrate in a one-ton BPC per day pilot plant.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

A sustainable mix of free amino acids improves shrimp feeding behavior Pierrick Kersanté, Joël Duperray, BCF Life Sciences, Guillaume Le Reste, Halieutica

Apart from being an essential nutrient for protein synthesis, amino acids are among the few molecules known for their ability to attract aquatic animals. This functionality is of particular importance for shrimp as they exhibit a relatively slow feeding behavior. This habit can be reinforced by the current trend of marine raw material substitution given that vegetable-sourced ingredients are generally less attractant and palatable. Anyone who has already thrown a shrimp feed pellet into water has observed that some components leak out of the pellet quite rapidly and start to dye water. This phenomenon, called lixiviation, is a major source of loss for the farmer and a source of pollution for pond water. Feed formulators and technologists have worked together to improve pellet water stability but lixiviation remains unavoidable as some water-soluble essential nutrients must be added to the feed (some vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc). Therefore, increasing feed palatability constitutes one of the most efficient ways to sustain feed efficiency.

Mix of free amino acids and shrimp feeding behavior Poultry keratin is a major industrial co-product. The extensive hydrolysis of this sustainable but hardly digestible protein results in an interesting mix of free

Table 1. Amino acids contained in the MFAA with the proportion of each AA under a free form.

Total amino acids Free AA/total Aspartic acid 3.67 100% Threonine 2.48 98% Serine 6.60 100% Glutamic acid 5.43 97% Glycine 4.48 96% Alanine 2.53 98% Valine 4.07 71% Cystine 1.04 60% Methionine 0.30 86% Isoleucine 2.44 76% Leucine 3.96 94% Tyrosine 0.41 86% Phenylalanine 2.49 97% Lysine 0.97 94% Histidine 0.32 100% Arginine 3.40 95% Proline 5.84 100% amino acids (MFAA). Thanks to its richness in free amino acids, the MFAA Kera-Stim®50 (Table 1) can be considered as a possible palatability enhancer in shrimp. Such a product has already been tested in

Table 2. Experimental plan.

Fishmeal content Control diets Kera-Stim®50 Coated Mixed

FM15% FM7.5% FM0% F15-Ctrl F7.5-Ctrl F0-Ctrl F15-AA-Ctd F7.5-AA-Ctd F0-AA-Ctd F15-AA-Mix F7.5-AA-Mix F0-AA-Mix

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Approach time (sec) depending on treatments

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

Figure 1. Feed attractiveness depending on fishmeal content and treatment.

a set of trials and has demonstrated its ability to sustain growth and improve feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) but the shrimp behavior was not followed. To better understand how a MFAA influences shrimp feeding activity, a trial was launched at the Kasetsart University in Thailand. A total of 432 vannamei juvenile shrimp were randomly placed into 36 aquariums filled with brackish water (15 ppt salinity). A range of three feeds with decreasing fishmeal levels (15%, 7.5% and 0%) were formulated. Each of the three diets were supplemented with 0.5% of MFAA. The product was mixed with other ingredients before

pelleting (Mix Group) or coated around the pellet after shaping (Ctd Group, see the detailed experimental plan in table 2). Shrimps were fed three times per day for eight weeks. Once every week shrimp behavior was thoroughly observed by trained technicians during the second meal of the day. In each aquarium, shrimps were gathered to one end of the aquarium behind a net and a feed tray was plunged at the other end of the aquarium. When the separation between animals and the feed was removed three parameters were recorded:

Shrimp eating in 15 minutes (number of individuals)

16 14 12

a c

abc

bc c d

8 6 4 2 0

FM 15%

FM 7.5%

FM 0%

Figure 2. Average number of shrimps eating pellets 15 minutes after the separation between feed and shrimps was removed. Data are the average of observations made in four aquariums per treatment for eight weeks.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Feed eaten within one hour (gram)

FM 15%

FM 7.5%

FM 0%

Figure 3. Average quantity of feed eaten within the two hours after the separation between feed and shrimps was removed. Each dot represents the average consumption for eight weeks in each aquarium; square symbols are average values for the four aquariums.

- Individual attractiveness: Time (in seconds) between shrimp release and first pellet attack. - Global attractiveness: Number of shrimps eating feed after 15 minutes. - Feeding stimulant: Amount of feed eaten (in gram of dry matter) within one hour.

Results As can be seen in Figure 1, MFAA shortens the necessary time for the first shrimp to reach the pellets placed in the feed tray. This duration logically increases when the fishmeal level decreases. In all cases, MFAA significantly shortens the approach time. Figure 1 also shows that when MFAA is applied around the pellet the approach time is shorter than when MFAA is mixed with other raw materials.

The number of shrimps eating after 15 minutes is another interesting observation made during those eight weeks. Figure 2 details this parameter for the nine treatments. There was a correlation between fishmeal content and global attractiveness of the feed. In all cases, and irrespective of the fishmeal level, MFAA was able to outperform their respective controls. In this case, the application mode did not clearly influence the results. Figure 3 details the average quantities eaten in each of the 36 aquariums used for this experiment. Feed consumption was not influenced by fishmeal levels. This parameter was nevertheless influenced by the use of MFAA either applied on or in the feeds. The tendency is always the same with an increasing amount of feed eaten by the shrimps fed with AA-Ctd feed, followed by the AA-Mix group and the control group.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Conclusions This trial enabled us to clearly understand how MFAA influences shrimp feed intake. Attractiveness parameters underline the ability of the product to attract white shrimps toward feeds. This trial also shows the link between the addition of MFAA and the amount of feed eaten by the animals. Taking the behavioral model proposed by Lee & Meyers (1996), MFAA can be considered as an incitant (it facilitates the initiation of feeding) and a feeding stimulant (it supports the continuation of feeding). The information provided by this experiment concerns the mode of application of MFAA on the feeds. Coating seems to be more efficient in all the behavior parameters measured during this trial. We can hypothesize that coated MFAA better diffuse around pellets allowing a better detection by shrimp chemoreceptors. Those results position Kera-Stim®50 as an efficient functional ingredient for shrimp feed. Its ability to support feed intake in low fish meal diets is particularly interesting in the actual context. References available on request

More information: Pierrick Kersanté Application Engineer BCF Life Sciences, France E: pkersante@bcf-lifesciences.com

Guillaume Le Reste Consultant Halieutica, France E: g.lereste@halieutica.net

Joël Duperray R&D Scientific Support and Applications Manager BCF Life Sciences, France E: jduperray@bcf-lifesciences.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Preventive additive strategies for the control of ectoparasites and secondary infections in farmed fish Waldo G. Nuez-Ortín and Maria Mercè Isern-Subich, Adisseo

Ectoparasitic infestations have acquired a serious role among the factors limiting the intensive production of cage-reared fish. Poor net hygiene and other environmental upsets may stimulate the occurrence of infestations which can be devastating to caged fish. Most relevant ectoparasitic infestations in European aquaculture include Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a bloodsucking monogenean affecting gilthead sea bream farming (Sitjà-Bobadilla et al., 2010), and Lepeophtheirus salmonis (sea louse), a caligid copepod feeding on the skin, blood and mucus of Atlantic salmon.

Losses are associated with mortalities and notable growth reduction partly due to emaciated and anemic survivors. Furthermore, parasite attachment to fish skin produce important alterations such as wounds and ulcers, promoting mixed infections with parasites or secondary bacterial infections and thereby increasing stress and mortality (Padros and Crespo, 1995). Management of ectoparasitic infestations is crucial to limit production losses, maintain acceptable stock and reduce impacts on wild populations (Thorstad et al., 2015). Multiple preventative methods can be

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Control

PARASITE BURDEN

Apex Branquia

MEAN PARASITE BURDEN

30 20

Control

Apex Branchia

p-value

14.7

12.2

>0.05

10 0 0

PARASITE BURDEN

50 40 30

MEAN PARASITE BURDEN Control

Apex Branchia

p-value

18.0

10.3

<0.05

protection against secondary bacterial infections. APEX® BRANCHIA is a healthpromoting functional additive based on synergistic combinations of natural components with antiparasitic, antimicrobial and immunostimulant properties. In this article, we present two separate studies that contribute to the proven efficacy of this functional additive to reduce ectoparasite prevalence and to boost the skin mucus defensiveness properties.

Reduction of ectoparasite prevalence as proved by 10 the guppy model 0 Cohabitation studies are generally 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 used for preliminary assessment of C 160 the efficacy of functional additives MEAN PARASITE BURDEN 140 against ectoparasites. However, this Apex Control p-value 120 Branchia type of challenge is limited by the 47.9 25.6 <0.05 100 number of replicates and entails 80 such high variability in infection 60 rates that hinders the interpretation 40 of results. The host-parasite model – 20 the Trinidadian guppy Poecilia 0 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 reticulata and its associated DAYS ectoparasite Gyrodactylus turnbulli – allows for infections with a Figure 1. Infection trajectories in guppies (Poecilia reticulata, n=18 per treatment) infected known and consistent number with Gyrodactylus turnbulli. A) Infection trajectories and mean parasite abundance in juvenile of ectoparasites across recipient guppies (Trial 1). B) Infection trajectories and mean parasite abundance in adult guppies (Trial 2). C) Infection trajectories and mean parasite abundance in adult guppies (Trial 3). fish and high replication (Arepi et al., 2019). This model has been continuously deployed together to enhance standardized and was used to test the efficacy of fish resistance traits while simultaneously reducing APEX® BRANCHIA as a preventive strategy against fish-parasite encounters (Barret et al., 2020). ectoparasitic infestations. Bolstering of fish resistance traits includes the dietary Three trials were conducted; one in guppy juveniles inclusion of health-promoting functional additives and (mean standard length ± SE: 8.8 ± 0.6 mm) and two does not imply any negative impact on fish welfare in guppy adults (mean standard length ± SE: 28.9 ± (Barret et al., 2020). A key attribute for a functional 0.2). Guppy flake feed was supplemented with APEX® additive to efficiently prevent ectoparasite infestations BRANCHIA at 0.5%. Guppies (n=18) were maintained is the ability to improve the defensiveness properties into individual 1 L aquariums and fed daily with control of blood and skin mucus. This will mainly translate and treatment feeds for 14 days. On day 15, each fish into reduced ectoparasite prevalence and increased was anesthetized and infected on the caudal fin with PARASITE BURDEN

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

A key attribute for a functional additive to efficiently prevent ectoparasite infestations is the ability to improve the defensiveness properties of blood and skin mucus.

500 450 400 350

IU/g

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

NO ADDITIVE (MUCUS)

APEX (MUCUS)

Figure 2. Total protease activity (TPA) in skin mucus following APEX® BRANCHIA supplementation (0.6%) for four weeks. Only numerical difference was observed.

two individuals of G. turnbulli from naturally infected guppy donors (Day 0 of infection). After infection, fish were screened again the next day (Day 1) to ensure that infection was successful and if no parasites were present then fish were re-infected. Fish were fed daily corresponding feed and screened under anesthetic every 48 hours to monitor parasite density over 17 days (until day 31). A Generalised Linear Mixed effect model (GLMM) was constructed and used for statistical analysis. Results showed that APEX® BRANCHIA consistently lowered the infection trajectories of the ectoparasite across juvenile and adult stages (Fig. 1). In juvenile guppy (Fig. 1A), supplementation numerically reduced the mean parasite burden by 17%. In adult guppies, supplementation significantly reduced the mean parasite burden by 43% and 47% in Trials 2 (Fig. 1B) and 3 (Fig. 1C), respectively. In adult guppies, the infection trajectories and parasite burdens differed between trials; the infection trajectory in Trial 2 did not reach infection rates as high as in Trial 3 and showed a depression after day 11. This can be attributed to a higher proportion of responder and resistant fish in relation to the population of Trial 3, likely composed of more susceptible fish. It was therefore concluded that, under a model testing system with enhanced robustness to evaluate antiparasitic efficacy, APEX® BRANCHIA efficiently reduces infection rates of ectoparasites.

Enhancement of skin mucus defensiveness properties to control secondary infections Skin mucus is the first barrier by which fish are protected from the attack of pathogens. Skin mucus defensiveness includes biochemical barriers (i.e. antioxidant, detoxifying, bactericidal and immune protection) protecting from the adhesion of secondary bacteria pathogens that worsen the severity of parasitic infestation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of APEX® BRANCHIA to enhance the antimicrobial properties of skin mucus in gilthead seabream. APEX® BRANCHIA was supplemented at 0.6% in commercial-like feed formula and fed to gilthead seabream of 180 g during four weeks in triplicate tanks. At the end of the feeding period, skin mucus samples were collected non-invasively according to FernándezAlacid et al. (2018). Following Sanahuja et al. (2019), total alkaline protease activity (TPA), an indicator of proteolytic activity against pathogens, and antibacterial activity against a non-pathogenic (E. coli, DSMZ number: 423) and pathogenic (P. anguilliseptica, CECT number: 899T) bacteria were measured. An independent t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results showed that TPA was numerically increased by 30% with the additive supplementation (Fig. 2). Enhanced activity is indicative of enhanced release of proteases into skin mucus and therefore of reduced pathogen adherence to the skin mucus. It must be mentioned that the lack of significant difference can be attributed to the high variability associated with this indicator and to the need for higher replication. The antimicrobial activity of skin mucus was improved by APEX® BRANCHIA supplementation (Fig. 3).

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

A 1.2

P.anguilliseptica P. anguilliseptica (MEDIUM)

E.coli E. Coli (MEDIUM)

NO ADDITIVE (MUCUS) BR1

0.8

Inhibitory activity against P. anguilliseptica

0.8

Growth curves (OD400)

Inhibitory activity against E. coli

APEX (MUCUS) TI9

0.6 0.4

0.6

NO ADDITIVE (MUCUS) BR1 APEX (MUCUS) TI9

0.4

0.2

B 0

0 0

Time (h) Time (h)

E. coli inhibition (%)

20 ** 40 60 * 80

NO ADDITIVE (MUCUS) BR1 APEX (MUCUS) TI9

P. anguilliseptica inhibition (%)

Time (h)

20 **

40 60

80 100

100

Time (h)

* BR1 NO ADDITIVE (MUCUS) APEX (MUCUS) TI9

Figure 3. Antimicrobial activity of skin mucus following APEX® BRANCHIA supplementation (0.6%) for four weeks. A) Growth curve of E. coli in natural medium (black), mucus of non-supplemented fish (white) and mucus of supplemented fish (blue). B) Percentage of E. coli growth inhibition in mucus in relation to growth in medium. C) Growth curve of P. anguilliseptica in natural medium (black), mucus of nonsupplemented fish (white) and mucus of supplemented fish (blue). D) Percentage of P. anguilliseptica growth inhibition in mucus in relation to growth in medium. *Significant differences (p<0.05) between control and additive.

The additive showed significant efficacy against both E. coli and P. anguilliseptica, supporting the numerical effect on total protease activity. Specifically, against the pathogenic P. anguilliseptica, growth inhibition was twofold enhanced with the additive supplementation in relation to the non-supplementation. Altogether, results indicate an optimization of the preventive mechanisms against secondary bacterial infections and specifically on the adherence to the mucosal surface.

Conclusion Controlling ectoparasitic infestations is one of the biggest challenges in aquaculture farming. Ectoparasites are frequently found in mixed infections with other secondary infections. APEX® BRANCHIA is a functional feed additive based on natural components that has been proven to reduce ectoparasite prevalence and optimize the mucus defensiveness properties that protect against secondary bacterial infections. Feed application is safe, practical and environmentallyfriendly. Results here support the use of APEX® BRANCHIA as reinforcement of the preventive strategy

against ectoparasitic infestations. Supplementation can compensate for the negative effects associated with farming conditions such as the elimination of skin mucus and increased susceptibility to infections. References available on request

More information: Waldo G. Nuez-Ortín Lead scientist aquaculture Adisseo, Belgium E: waldo.nuezortin@adisseo.com

Maria Mercè Isern-Subich Product manager health aquaculture Adisseo, Belgium

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Use of a natural feed additive to control parasites in fish Juan M. Alfaro, Enrique Guillamón, DOMCA SAU, José Luis Sáez, Piscifactorías del Mediterráneo, Felipe Almendras, Greenvolution, Alberto Baños, DMC Research Center The growing intensification of aquaculture production means that in recent years, parasitic processes have become very important to the sector, increasing the number of infestations and associated pathologies. Parasites have a negative impact on the production parameters of fish farms, causing great economic losses and significant fish and public health problems. Parasites in fish can be found internally (usually gastrointestinal tract, muscle, peritoneal cavity), or externally (skin and gills). The control of external

parasites in open and closed production systems is a complex process usually involving bath treatments based on the use of a limited number of registered chemo-prophylactics which, in addition to being expensive and scarce, could be harmful to fish, humans and the environment. Moreover, more complex legal requirements to register new drugs and the prohibition of the use of many traditional anti-parasite products/treatments, urgently demand the use of new approaches and

Figure 1. Left: Atlantic salmon smolt (Salmo salar) affected by caligidosis (Caligus rogercresseyi). Right: Microscopic image of a Sparicotyle chrysophri individual infecting the gills of a sea bream (Sparus aurata).

Figure 2. Installation of sea bream donors with perlon mesh in the drainage.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

strategies to provide an effective solution to this problem while decreasing the risk on animals, aquaculture professionals and the environment. A novel alternative will be the use of natural, safe and harmless products used through feed. In the present communication, the anti-parasitic properties of AQUAgarlic™ were evaluated as a natural alternative for controlling parasites in fish. In vitro and in vivo tests were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of organosulfur compounds derived from Alliaceae plants (included in the tested product) against sea lice (Caligus rogercresseyi) in Atlantic salmon and Sparicotyle chrysophri in sea bream in the form of feed supplement.

Material and methods Assays against Caligus rogercresseyi Female C. rogercresseyi eggs from affected fish were isolated from a farm in the 10th region of Chile. Egg sacs were collected and taken in beakers with 500 mL in filtered seawater (in darkness and 12°C) to spawn. Then, the different stages were separated: Nauplius I, Nauplius II and copepods. They were arranged in Petri dishes in groups of ten individuals for each of the parasite's stages. Finally, they were exposed to different concentrations of the product (100, 200 and 300 mg/L) for 30 minutes. All assays were made in duplicate. Assays against Sparicotyle chrysophri Sea breams of 120 g were received at the aqua lab from a Mediterranean fish farm with an average level of infestation of a parasite/fish in the first gill arch. Fish were distributed in two 350 L capacity tanks provided with a layer of synthetic nylon fiber (aquarium perlon mesh) as a filter for the retention of the floating eggs released by the parasitized sea breams. After 10 days, the presence of Sparicotyle eggs attached to the perlon mesh was identified. These eggs were incubated at 22ºC for 3 days. Based on the principle of cohabitation, 30 healthy fish were passed into each of the tanks with the donor fish separated by a horizontal intermediate mesh, so that the donor fish were placed at the bottom and the parasite-free fish at the top. After 30 days of cohabitation, the infestation was achieved in all donor fish sampled.

Figure 3. Survival of Caligus rogercresseyi's nauplius I (A), nauplius II (B) and copepodite (C) stages at different concentrations of AQUAgarlic™: (□) 100 mg/L, (■) 200 mg/kg, (▲) 300 mg/kg of active principles.

The product was incorporated in feed coating at a final concentration of 250 ppm of active matter (2 kg/Tn feed). Furthermore, the effectiveness of the product was also tested at sea bream and sea bass facilities in San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia, Spain), in open sea cages (4 million fish). This trial was carried out from May to July 2019 adding AQUAgarlic™ in feed at a dose of 1 kg/ Tn (250 ppm of active matter). The aim of this trial was to prevent the massive appearance of this monogenic parasite, which begins to show up at high temperatures, adhering to the gill plates of sea bream and sea bass, being more incidental in sea bream.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Figure 4. Effect of the use of AQUAgarlic™ on the prevalence of infestation by Sparicotyle chrysophri in sea bream. The product was incorporated in feed coating (250 ppm of active principle) and administered at 20 days to infected fish.

Results Use against Caligus rogercresseyi The product induced 100% mortality in all stages of the parasite in a dose-dependent manner (Fig. 3). The survival of the parasite was reduced over time, as the dose was increased. Independently to the dose used, 30 minutes after treatment, all parasites, regardless of stage, were not able to survive with any treatment, the most sensitive stage being Nauplius I and the most resistant stage being the copepods. Use against Sparicotyle chrysophri The addition of the commercial product to the feed had a clear anti-parasitic effect against S. chrysophri, with significant reductions in the prevalence of infestation in sea bream. The product was able to reduce the infestation by up to 90% when used at 2 kg/Tn (250 ppm) for 20 days postinfection. Finally, regarding trial made in sea bream and sea bass farms in open sea cages, after the use of this product, the presence of Sparicotyle not only decreased but can even disappear (data to be published), probably because the compounds avoid the parasite attachment to the gills of the fish.

Discussion The tested product was able to induce 100% of mortality in all stages of C. rogercresseyi in a dose-

dependent manner in only 30 min after starting the treatment. Moreover, we determined that the most sensitive parasite stage was Nauplius I and II and the most resistant stage were the copepods. This shows the potential to develop the use of the product either by bath or eventually feed. However, since this is a parasite affecting the skin of Atlantic salmon, it would be necessary to demonstrate whether the active compounds are able to reach therapeutical levels in the skin (mucus) of the fish. A recent review from Boerlage et al (2020) describes the importance of gill problems in modern fish farming, indicating complex gill disease encompasses syndromes referred to as “proliferative gill inflammation” (PGI) and “proliferative gill disease” (PGD) (Herrero et al., 2018). PGI is a pathology-based diagnosis first described in Norway, in which gills present a combination of the following four histopathological changes: lamellar vascular changes, inflammation, cell death and epithelial cell hyperplasia (Kvellestad et al. 2005). In our in vivo tests evaluating the action of the commercial product against S. chrysophrii in gills of seabass and gilthead sea bream, the product was able to clearly and significantly affect the evolution of infection (in lab and field tests), reducing adult and larval stages of this pathogen, and the histopathological consequences derived from these infestations. So far, our findings encourage future use of AQUAgarlic™ as an additive in feed fish due to their beneficial effects on the protection of gills of the fish against ectoparasites of the Monogeneous type without using bath treatments (or reducing them). These results are encouraging since they indicate that the active principles are reaching concentrations at the gill levels that are high enough to affect and control the parasite. This opens the possibility to also prevent or treat other bacterial, amoeba and complex gill diseases (PGI or PGD) currently affecting other species like Atlantic salmon in Chile and Europe. More information: Juan M. Alfaro Senior TechnicalCommercial Manager DOMCA SAU, Spain E: juan.alfaro@domca.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Supporting the sustainability of shrimp production with organic trace minerals Mieke Zoon, Pancosma

Shrimp is a very popular source of protein globally, with few limitations from a religious perspective; it is easy to prepare and offers high nutritional value. As general wealth has increased across the global population, protein consumption per capita has increased as well. However, not only do we eat more protein, but there has also been a shift towards more valuable sources, such as shrimp. As a result, shrimp consumption has grown rapidly over the last few decades, both in the classic importing markets, such as Japan, Europe and the United States, as well as in major regions of shrimp production in Latin America and Southeast Asia. As the growth potential of capture fisheries is limited by fishing quota, available resources and historical supply chains, aquaculture has rapidly been increasing and has even overtaken capture fisheries in the volume of products (including shrimp) available for human consumption.

Sustainability challenges With increasing aquaculture, the predictability of quality and availability have greatly improved, but the higher inputs and outputs resulting from intensifying production have led to new challenges. As an example, and this is also true for livestock

production, intensifying production increases the risk of pathogenic diseases, which has resulted in the high use of antibiotics, major outbreaks and decimation of stocks in important production areas from time to time (e.g. Thailand) (FAO, 2018). In recent years, there has been a lot of attention towards more sustainable production through the use of the following strategies: replacing fishmeal and fish oil in feed (with vegetable-based and even insect-sourced substitutes), reducing environmental effects (with water recycling systems), disease prevention (via biosecurity) and improved feed efficiency (by optimizing feed and management). Major improvements have been made in all these areas, but there is still more to be done (FAO, 2018). For example, the lack of an adaptive immune system in shrimp provides an additional challenge for their biosecurity when compared to livestock, as this means that they cannot be vaccinated. The reduction of fishmeal and fish oil in shrimp feeds leads to other challenges, not only in replacing high-quality protein, but also other nutrients, like minerals, as they are no longer provided in a highly available form. Trace minerals are known to be important for a number of functions, improving not only growth but also development, fertility, final product quality and immunity. Organic forms of trace minerals, for example, B-TRAXIMÂŽ minerals (PANCOSMA, Switzerland), have been shown to offer higher bioavailability and additional benefits in livestock species compared to traditionally used inorganic forms (Hansen et al., 2008, Jang et al., 2010, De Marco et al., 2017, Zhang et al., 2017). Organic trace minerals (OTM) may therefore

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Figure 1. Total shrimp weight produced over time, in gram per aquarium.

contribute to improved efficacy in feed formulations and to a reduction in the environmental impact of shrimp production.

Benefits of organic trace minerals In line with more sustainable production methods, OTM can help reduce the impact of waste from shrimp production on the environment by reducing mineral excretion. And although aquafeeds already contain much less fishmeal and fish oil than before, these remain important ingredients, especially for high value and more carnivorous species (e.g. shrimp and salmon) (FAO, 2018). The high levels of unsaturated fats from fish sources are a challenge to the stability of aquafeeds. Metal ions, and especially zinc, iron and copper, are known to be major catalyzers of oxidation (McDowell, 2008). If metals are stabilized with an organic bond, this may not only increase their bioavailability but reduce oxidation of important nutrients as well. After earlier confirmation of the practical advantages and the potential positive impact of using OTM on shrimp performance, commercial use of glycine-based OTM has begun both in Latin America and Southeast Asia. To confirm positive practical experiences from the market, a new trial in a controlled environment was set up in Thailand by Professor Orapint Jintasataporn (Department

of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Thailand). In this trial, the effect of OTM on the growth performance and immune parameters of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) was studied. The shrimp were fed either a non-supplemented diet (negative control, NC) or one of the following treatments: a full dose of inorganic minerals (positive control, PC), a full dose of B-TRAXIMÂŽ minerals (BT1X), or a half dose of B-TRAXIMÂŽ minerals (BT0.5X). Shrimp fed BT1X showed the fastest growth, best feed conversion and numerically the highest survival rate. The total shrimp production per tank is of interest for shrimp producers, as it combines the result of growth performance and survival rate in 1 parameter (Fig. 1). The glycine-based OTM (BT1X) consistently showed the highest production. Another interesting strategy confirmed by this trial is to reduce inorganic mineral supplementation by 50% and instead use OTM (BT0.5X). This has been shown to maintain growth performance and feed efficiency, while reducing mineral excretion. This is fully in line with results from other species, e.g. in broilers (De Marco et al., 2017). In the same trial, some important immunity parameters were checked. This is of particular interest as disease-related mortality in shrimp production is a common issue. Stimulating general immunity and optimizing the immune response is important, as

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

vaccinating is not possible because shrimp rely only on their innate immune system. Lysozyme is an enzyme with antibacterial properties that acts as part of the innate immune system by cutting the carbohydrate chains forming the main structure of bacterial cell walls (Iacono et al., 1980). The BT1X shrimp showed a significant increase of lysozyme activity in the hemolymph (which plays the same role as blood in mammals). Also, superoxide-dismutase (SOD) activity, as part of the antioxidant system, showed a trend towards higher levels in the hemolymph of BT1X shrimp. Both these factors show that the BT1X shrimp had an improved ability to protect themselves against bacterial and oxidative challenges.

More sustainable shrimp Summarizing the available trial data as well as practical experience, the glycine-based OTM from PANCOSMA are able to support shrimp producers in some of their main challenges towards better sustainability.

Mineral excretion into the environment can be reduced without losing performance, an efficient immune response is supported, which may reduce the impact of diseases, and improved growth and feed efficiency have been shown, allowing for a better return on investment. OTM will not solve all the challenges faced in aquaculture, but it can be used as a solution to support shrimp producers on their path towards a more sustainable way to provide high-quality food globally. References available on request

More information: Mieke Zoon Product Manager Minerals Pancosma, Switzerland E: mieke.zoon@pancosma.com

Patented structure. Proven efficiency use Pure organic trace minerals

The B-TRAXIM range of essential mineral solutions is based on glycine, and relies on a unique transversal approach, combining technology, chemistry and nutrition. Scientifically validated and supported by numerous publications, B-TRAXIM products have proven to be highly stable and effective in a variety of species and conditions, while establishing themselves as a reference in the field of organic trace minerals.

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Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

The first probiotic-coated feed launched on the Vietnamese market Marc Campet, ADM Animal Nutrition

Probiotics have become a common sight in Southeast Asian shrimp farms as rearing practices have gradually intensified. Farmers and technicians have clearly identified the need to control the bacterial populations in both the culture water and the shrimp gut and the probiotics efficiency in performing this task has been proven over and over. Processors, exporters and all other downstream stakeholders also benefit from the generalization of probiotics that help reduce the misuse of antibiotics in an industry plagued by diseases. However, the practical application of probiotics is still subject to debate as advice from probiotic suppliers, aquaculture technicians and researchers differ greatly, especially when talking about probiotics for feed application. Feed probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed by shrimp

or fish. The beneficial impacts of feed probiotics on the host can be classified in three categories: â&#x20AC;˘ Exclusion of pathogens: through competitive exclusion (competition for the same environment and nutrients) and secretion of antibacterial peptides, probiotic bacteria can control the population of pathogenic bacteria. It has also been proven that a healthy bacterial population reduce the incidence and impact of harmful viruses. â&#x20AC;˘ Improved digestion: probiotic bacteria, when properly selected, can secrete digestive enzyme and adjust the gut pH which help the animal get the most out of the feed. â&#x20AC;˘ Enhance the health status of the host: probiotic bacteria improve the general health status of the host by enhancing the barrier function of the gut, secreting antioxidant enzymes and through different immunomodulation activities.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Figure 1. Viability of probiotics during storage in cool conditions and tropical condition.

Probiotics usage by top-coating Today, the main way of using feed probiotics is by top-coating. Farmers, either manually or with the help of machinery such as a concrete mixer, dress the feed with probiotics mixed with a liquid support. This method, when applied at larger farms, has several limitations: • Low concentration or high cost: most products available on the market have low CFU counts. Highly concentrated products have a high cost. A high proportion of available products have quality variations from batch to batch. • Heterogeneity and lack of precision: the dose measurement when coating at the farm is usually unprecise and there is no effective measurement of the homogeneity of coating. • Laborious: when reaching the end of the production cycle, coating large volumes of feed is extremely laborious. Therefore, a majority of farmers only coat the feed once a day, leaving the other feeding times without probiotics. • Probiotic stock management: probiotics are highly sensitive to humidity. Once the pack is open, farmers have to use it quickly. • Microbial loss into water: top-coated feeds have a high leaching rate, as the liquid and additives are not absorbed by the pellets but remain on the outside of the feed. New probiotic for the feed manufacturing process To solve the above inadequacies, ADM has invested in high-end equipment in its Ocialis shrimp feed plant in Vietnam to coat its shrimp feed with probiotics directly at the end of the manufacturing process.

A specific probiotic mixture with higher concentration and quick action has been designed by ADM to provide a higher count of probiotic bacteria on the feed at a lower cost than any top-coating probiotic currently available on the Vietnamese market. The probiotics are fermented, manufactured and imported directly from ADM’s plant in the USA to ensure quality and traceability. The fully automated probiotic coating system provides accurate weighing of the probiotic powder before mixing it with fish oil. The coating is performed at a maximum temperature of 40oC to maintain the probiotic viability. The mixture of oil and probiotic is spread evenly on the feed via nozzles. There are multiple advantages of industrial coating for the shrimp farmer: • A higher concentration of probiotic bacteria on the feed than with the traditional top-coating method. • A homogenous coating of the probiotic around the feed and reduced leaching in the water. • A strong natural bacteria culture in the shrimp gut that suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria such as Vibrio sp. • Increased animal survival and yields. • High animal weight gain and improved feed conversion efficiency resulting in lower FCR. • Reduced labor and storekeeping at the farm. The coating homogeneity of each batch of Vanalis Probiotics is strictly controlled by ADM's international laboratory. Moreover, viability of the probiotics is controlled up to three months in Vietnam (Fig. 1). Ocialis is proud to be a pioneer in the probiotic complete feed segment in Vietnam market. After two years of development and quality control, Vanalis Probiotics was first launched in June 2020 in Vietnam while the first oversea shipments reached shrimp farmers across Asia in September 2020.

More information: Marc Campet Business Development Manager ADM Animal Nutrition, Asia E: marc.campet@adm.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

The role of innovative feed additives in aquaculture: Supporting health and performance to reduce antibiotic requirement Lucy Brimble, Anpario

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is estimated to be the greatest threat to human health by 2050 according to the World Health Organization. AMR occurs when bacterial populations continue to grow in the presence of antibiotics, leading to medication becoming less efficient or even totally ineffective. Reducing reliance on therapeutic antibiotics in the aquaculture industry is fundamentally important in safeguarding the future efficacy of antimicrobials and thus both human and animal health. While antibiotics remain essential in treating disease and safeguarding aquaculture health, responsible use by producers and significantly lowering those used as a

Figure 1. Average final fish weight (g) and total pond biomass weight (kg).

preventative measure is essential. The importance of finding suitable alternatives which support health and performance of stock and maintain economic success is key for producers and the industry to evolve. Independent feed additive manufacturer, Anpario, strives to support the production of healthier livestock and aquatic species by helping manage gut health with natural, innovative solutions to optimize health and performance, thus reducing the need for antibiotics.

Acid based eubiotic feed additives Anparioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Acid Based Eubioticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (ABE) range contain a blend of formic and propionic acid and are one

Figure 2. Overall Specific Growth Rate (SGR) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR).

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Figure 3. Tilapia survivability (%). ~ denotes increased likelihood of survival p<0.0001.

Figure 4. Effect of Orego-Stim Plus supplementation on shrimp performance and incidence of infection. *Red and Green Tail (%) is commonly associated with vibriosis and bacterial disease.

such tool in maintaining optimal performance in the absence of antibiotics. Formic acid is a registered feed hygiene enhancer (EU 1k236) while propionic acid ensures feed security as a registered feed preservative (E280). Salgard Liquid is an effective bacterial decontaminating agent that supports optimum gut health and thus improves nutrient utilization and, in turn, overall performance. A commercial study was undertaken in Mexico to determine the effect of Salgard Liquid on tilapia performance. A total of 10,170 tilapia were divided into two groups and assigned to one of two dietary treatments. This was either a control diet or diets supplemented with Salgard Liquid (1L/ton of feed). Both groups of fish were fed at the same time points, water quality was measured throughout the study and starting weights were identical at 1.1g per fish. It was found that ABE addition resulted in a 13% improvement in final fish weight and a 15% improvement in total pond biomass weight (Fig. 1). Supplementation also numerically improved overall specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR) (Fig. 2) and significantly increased tilapia survivability (Fig. 3). The improvements in this study resulted in a 15.57% increase in profits.

Phytogenic feed additives With proven efficacy across a variety of species, phytogenic feed additives can provide a multitude

of benefits in supporting aquaculture health and performance. Orego-Stim is a source of 100% natural oregano essential oil (OEO) and contains multiple compounds that work in synergy to offer several well-documented properties and functions. This includes antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antioxidant functions. Such properties mean that fish and shrimp health and performance can be maintained in the absence of antibiotics. Oxytetracycline (70%) (OTC-70) is commonly used in shrimp farming for the control of necrotising hepatopancreatitis (NHP) and other bacterial diseases. Recently, a commercial study was undertaken at a shrimp farm in Ecuador. This farm routinely used 7 kg/ ton of OTC-70 for one week to assist in the control of NHP. The study aimed to determine if Orego-Stim Plus could maintain shrimp performance and a low incidence of bacterial challenge in the absence of OTC-70. The pond contained 952,000 shrimp with a starting weight of 8.3 g. Shrimp were fed a standard diet supplemented with 6 kg/ton of Orego-Stim Plus for one week, instead of the 7 kg/ton of OTC-70. Shrimp diets supplemented with Orego-Stim Plus maintained shrimp health and performance. Shrimp demonstrated above-average growth compared to previous OTC-70 treatment, decreased mortality and a reduction in NHP, as well as White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Vibrio (Fig. 4). This particular farm

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

estimated a cost saving of approximately $500 USD throughout the one-week period when using OregoStim Plus compared to the cost of treating shrimp with OTC-70. Supplementation of this phytogenic containing 100% natural OEO not only offers producers the potential to reduce production costs but can also help reduce industry antibiotic usage, safeguarding their future efficacy. Anpario is committed to safeguarding livestock performance and supporting producers in meeting the growing demand for lower antibiotic use by providing sustainable feed additive solutions. Such additives support the 4 R’s program associated with successful antibiotic reduction; Review, Reduce and Replace Responsibly. Each of these “R’s” provides a vital, industry-recognized, step in the fight to reduce AMR. Review: To successfully reduce antibiotic usage and overall requirements, it is important to review and identify reasons for use. It is always recommended that therapeutic antibiotics should be used in a reactive, rather than preventative, approach when a bacterial disease has been diagnosed.

Scientifically Selected Solutions for Aquaculture YANG, a patented 3 yeast extract blend that, modulates the immune system and improves digestive health..

Bactocell, a probiotic that colonizes the stomach and intestinal tract to improve digestion and animal health.

Reduce: There are many ways in which the number of animals requiring antibiotic treatment can be reduced. This is usually through the implementation of a biosecurity plan to lower the risk of exposure to disease challenge, while ensuring efficient aquaculture management and the highest nutritional quality and hygiene of feed and water. Replace Responsibly: Protecting performance and maintaining optimal health remains a priority for producers. The use of feed additives can offer support in targeted antibiotic reduction programs following review of usage.

More information: Lucy Brimble Technical Writer Anpario, UK E: aqua@anpario.com

SPECIFIC FOR YOUR SUCCESS

Lalsea Biorem is a mix of bacteria specific for improving the pond environment through the reduction of organic material and nitrogen compounds.

Not all products are available in all markets nor all claims allowed in all regions.

SPECIFIC FOR YOUR SUCCESS LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

COLUMN

Aquaculture and aquafeed production in 2018 Albert G. Tacon, Ph.D. Dr. Albert Tacon is a Technical Editor at Aquafeed.com and an independent aquaculture feed consultant. E: agjtacon@aquahana.com

Updated FAO aquaculture data for 2018 from FAO Aquaculture, Capture and Global production databases. Major country producers (tons) 12,712,914 (89.9%) 534,076 (3.8%) 149,581 143,773 Major species (tons) Grass carp Common carp Carassius spp. Wuchang bream Black carp

5,703,950 (40.3%) 4,189,524 (29.6%) 2,772,319 (19.6%) 783,534 (5.5%) 691,536 (4.9%)

Total production Total value Production APR

14,140,863 tons 32.57 US $ billion 3.84%/year (20/18)

18,086 15,002 14,141 Thousand tons

China Indonesia Bangladesh Myanmar

17,390

14,402 13,943

Total carp feed usage estimated at 13.94 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 14.4 Mt by 2020 and 18.1 MT by 2025.

Figure 1. Chinese fed carp production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025. Total carp feed usage estimated at 13.94 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 14.4 Mt by 2020 and 18.1 MT by 2025.

Major country producers (tons) 1,624,547 (26.9%) 1,222,741 (20.3%) 1,051,444 F (17.4%) 344,784 (5.7%) 317,000 F (5.2%) 277,005 (4.6%) 260,000 (4.3%) 211,441 (3.5%) 77,933 (1.29%) Major species (tons) Nile tilapia Tilapia nei Blue tilapia hybrid Mozambique tilapia

4,525,431 (75.0%) 1,030,004 (17.1%) 406,048 (6.7%) 53,754

Total production Total value Production APR

6,031,350 tons 11.23 US $ billion 9.44%/year (20/18)

12,944

10,106 9,535 Thousand tons

China Indonesia Egypt Bangladesh Brazil Philippines Vietnam Thailand Colombia

8,090 6,649 6,031

Total tilapia feed usage estimated at 9.53 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 10.1 Mt by 2020, and 12.9 Mt by 2025.

Figure 2. Tilapia production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Major country producers (tons) 1,405,269 (24.3%) 1,382,000 (23.9%) 1,127,252 (19.5%) 637,500 F (11.0%) 470,341 (8.1%) 192,851 (3.3%) 159,423 (2.8%) 125,990 (2.2%) Major species (tons) Striped catfish Torpedo shaped catfish Yellow catfish Pangas catfish nei Channel catfish Amur catfish North African catfish

2,359,521 (40.8%) 1,245,254 (21.5%) 509,610 (8.8%) 449,113 (7.8%) 392,453 (6.8%) 370,859 (6.4%) 240,860 (4.2%)

Total production Total value Production APR

5,781,234 tons 9.49 US $ billion 14.2%/year (20/18)

7,772 6,730 6,087

7,680

6,313 5,781

Thousand tons

Indonesia Vietnam China India Bangladesh Nigeria USA Thailand

Total catfish feed usage estimated at 6.09 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 6.73 Mt by 2020, and 7.68 Mt by 2025. Figure 3. Catfish production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025.

Major country producers (tons) 2,051,921 (34.2%) 907,988 (15.1%) 775,000 (12.9%) 682,300 F (11.4%) 510,000 (8.5%) 362,910 (6.0%) 157,934 (2.6%) 70,979 (1.2%) 62,000 F (1.0%) 59,587 (0.99%) Major species (tons) Whiteleg shrimp Giant tiger prawn Penaeid shrimp nei

4,966,240 (82.7%) 750,604 (12.5%) 114,567 (1.9%)

Total production Total value Production APR

6,004,353 tons 38.48 US $ billion 9.7%/year (20/18)

10,872 9,214 8,261 Thousand tons

China Indonesia Vietnam India Ecuador Thailand Mexico Bangladesh Brazil Philippines

Total shrimp feed usage estimated at 8.26 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 9.21 Mt by 2020, and 10.87 Mt by 2025. Figure 4. Shrimp production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

8,053 6,619 6,004

Major country producers (tons) China Egypt Japan Turkey Bangladesh India Greece

5,442

1,507,798 (50.1%) 322,109 F (10.7%) 230,700 (7.7%) 195,997 (6.5%) 131,817 (4.4%) 110,000 F (3.7%) 107,704 (3.6%)

4,507

Thousand tons

3,992

Major species (tons) Marine fish nei Mullets nei European seabass Gilthead seabream Groupers nei Large yellow croaker Japanese seabass Japanese amberjack

767,465 (25.5%) 255,864 (8.5%) 235,537 (7.8%) 228,576 (7.6%) 203,597 (6.8%) 197,980 (6.6%) 171,541 (5.8%) 138,900 (4.6%)

Total production Total value Production APR

3,006,291 tons 12.94 US $ billion 6.4%/year (20/18)

4,031 3,314 3,006

Total marine fish feed usage estimated at 3.99 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 4.5 Mt by 2020, and 5.44 Mt by 2025. Figure 5. Marine fish production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025.

Major country producers (tons) 1,282,003 (48.6%) 809,659 (30.7%) 166,650 F (6.3%) 137,184 (5.2%) 78,900 F (3.4%) 61,227 (2.3%) 20,667 18,000 16,291 16,107 13,448

4,296 3,708 3,428 Thousand tons

Norway Chile UK Canada Faroe Islands Australia Russian Federation Japan New Zealand USA Iceland

Major species (tons) Atlantic salmon Coho salmon Chinook salmon

2,435,948 (92.4%) 166,521 (6.3%) 16,291

Total production Total value Production APR

2,636,856 tons 18.59 US $ billion 5.4%/year (20/18)

3,305 2,852 2,637

Total salmon feed usage estimated at 3.43 million tons (Mt) in 2018 and expected to rise to 3.71 Mt by 2020, and 4.30 Mt by 2025. Figure 6. Salmon production 2000 to 2018 (FAO, 2020) and estimated commercial feed usage 2000 to 2025.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

A look at the bullfrog value chain in China Xiao Haidong, Jiang Bin, Dai Yong, Dong Qiufen, Zhang Song, Guangdong Nutriera Group

The bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), which is named for its croaking sound, originated in North America. It was first introduced to China and initially cultured in eastern Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guangdong and Jiangsu province in the late 1950s. At that time, the bullfrog was recognized as a promising economic species highlighted with bigger size and more meat output compared to local frog species. However, bullfrog farming was extremely bottlenecked with insufficient fry supply and

species-specific commercial feed rather than natural diet. In 1982, a state-owned aquaculture research institute from Central Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hunan province made a breakthrough in artificial breeding technologies and bullfrog farming returned to farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vision again. After years of systematic studies in nutritional requirements, farming technology and feed formula, the first bullfrog commercial feed was formulated and produced in 1984 and since then, bullfrog farming in

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Table 1. Frog farming practices from three major Chinese farming provinces.

Farming practice

Guangdong

Guangxi

Fujian

0.8-1.2

0.3-0.6

0.1-0.2

Water depth (m)

Pond area (m2)

Stocking density (froglet/m2) 300

200

150

Stocking size (gram/pcs)

4-6

Culture duration (month) 5-9

Harvest size (g/pcs)

250-450 250-450 150-400

Yield (MT/ha)

300-450 225-300 150-225

Net profit (USD/ha)

120 50 50 4-6

85,700-128,500

4-7 3-7

64,200-85,000

107,000-160,000

China has been on a fast track. Nowadays, the bullfrog is widely cultured in 13 provinces with an annual production of 400,000 MT, becoming an important high-value aquatic species in China.

Breeding Since the first artificial bullfrog fry was produced in 1982, the bullfrog seed industry has made a stable development and achieved professional and mass production to meet the increasing demand. Currently, most of the bullfrog fry on the market are supplied by intensive bullfrog hatcheries and produced according to standard operational procedures. A standard bullfrog hatchery facility is divided into broodstock, spawning and hatching, and larval tadpole rearing areas. The optimal sizes of male and female breeders are 300-400 grams and 350-500 grams per pieces respectively, with a male:female ratio 1-1.5:2. In the spawning and hatching tank, a pair of parent bullfrogs will spend 30 minutes mating and spawning. A 500-gram female can produce 30,000 eggs per spawning. The fertilized eggs will be hatched into larval tadpole within 3-4 days and then transferred to a larval tadpole rearing tank. Farming Currently, the bullfrog is mainly cultured in superintensive small earthen ponds with high density, high yield and high profit. There are two different stages during the bullfrog culture cycle. At the nursery stage, farmers grow larval tadpole to froglet size (4-6 grams/pcs) within 60-90 days,

Figure 1. Frog fed on conventional feed (left) and on functional feed (right).

with a stocking density of 1,000-1,500 tadpoles/m2. For grow-out stages, farming practices are different between different provinces (Table 1). Farmers in Guangdong province adopt deep water ponds and floating plates. The advantages of this farming practice are a higher yield and lower frequency of water exchange, but it has disadvantages such as higher requirements for farming management, survival rate and unit profit. In contrast, the farming practice of Fujian province requires a shorter culture cycle and higher selling price, but it is susceptible to climate and water source changes. The practice of Guangxi province is between Guangdong and Fujian. Over the past decade, these intensive bullfrog farming practices has brought tremendous income to farmers, as well as a series of adverse environmental effects. As a result, some coastal provincial authorities have released strict environmental protection policies to restrict or forbid bullfrog farming, which pushed the farmers to relocate their farms to central and western provinces where the policy is mild. Furthermore, the government has taken more measures to promote sustainable farming practices, such as paddy field

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Figure 2. Bullfrog farm gate price in 2017-2019. Frog size: 150-450 g/pcs.

bullfrog farming practice, aquaponic bullfrog farming practice, and three-dimension farming practice.

Feeding Before 1984, farmers generally fed bullfrog with natural food such as yellow mealworm, cicada pupa and freshwater dry fish due to the absence of commercial feed. With the feed technology improve year by year, commercial bullfrog feed portfolio covering all culture stages has replaced the natural diets. In 2019, the production of bullfrog feed in China was approximately 450,000 MT. There are two types of bullfrog feed: mash feed for froglet and extruded floating feed with crude

protein normally ranging between 37% and 41%. The farm gate price of bullfrog feed is $0.7-0.9/kg, and the retail price bundling with contract farming is generally $1.1-1.3/kg. Hepatobiliary syndrome and gastroenteritis are two major diseases prevalent in bullfrog farming. Previously farmers relied heavily on medicines and disinfectants to treat the disease, but in recent years, the situation has changed as the Chinese government released unprecedented strict regulations on medicine application, and declared zero tolerance to antibiotic use during the whole culturing cycle of the bullfrog. Guangdong Nutriera Group assists bullfrog farmers in achieving healthy and sustainable farming by supplying technological guidelines to improve their farming management, as well as assist feed mills in optimizing their feed formula and developing functional feeds. Functional feeds can significantly improve digestibility, gastrointestinal condition and immunity against diseases. Functional feeds are specially designed based on the precision nutrient requirement of bullfrogs, formulated with premium ingredients and functional additives, and produced with hygiene machinery.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Among them, functional additives are the key points, which consist of attractants, natural plant extractants and immunoregulators, and they can efficiently improve the feed palatability and liver condition (Fig. 1).

Consuming The bullfrog is a healthy, delicate and nutritious food with high protein but low fat and cholesterol. In recent years, bullfrog themed restaurants have been booming nationally, supplying many kinds of tastes and flavors of bullfrog cuisines, and eating bullfrogs have become the most popular and fashionable lifestyle among young people. According to statistics, there are nearly 15,000 bullfrog-themed restaurants in Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four first-tier cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Some branded bullfrog restaurant chains are pursued hotly by the younger generations and expand rapidly. As consumers prefer to eat fresh bullfrogs, most restaurants adopt fresh food logistics to deliver live bullfrogs to their kitchens. Bullfrog farm gate price is greatly affected by the balance of supply and demand (Fig. 2). Over the past five years, bullfrog production increased from 250,000 MT to 400,000 MT, dragging the average farm gate price down year by year and making bullfrog cuisine more affordable to middle-income people. Apart from the steady growth of domestic consumption, overseas demand is also strong. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bullfrog export dates back to last century, but now frozen bullfrog legs are exported to the U.S., Japan, Mexico, Russia, Malaysia, etc. A complete industry chain is the basis of stable development. Currently, China has formed a welldeveloped value chain covering seed, farming, feed, processing and consumption. In 2019, the output of the bullfrog whole value chain was estimated to be about $7.1 billion. Prospect The bullfrog value chain in China has been well developed over the past decade and will definitely continue to maintain its growth path together with Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic development. However, there are also some obstacles, such as seed degradation, diseases, environmental issues and imbalance of supply and demand. To solve these issues and achieve sustainable

development, the China-ASEAN Fisheries Resources Conservation and Exploitation Fund is supporting more research on germplasm enhancement, novel farming practices with less stocking density and environmental influence, as well as the application of farm care product and functional feed. References available on request

More information: Xiao Haidong Researcher Guangdong Nutriera Group, China

Jiang Bin Researcher Guangdong Nutriera Group, China E: qiufendong@gmail.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

SPOTLIGHT

Aquaculture Phoenix – Backstory to the development of a novel RAS feed company Andre Bok, Aqua Management Technologies

The Pure Ocean East London aquaculture facility was constructed as a state-of-the-art pilot scale marine fish farm in the East London Industrial Development Zone, South Africa in 2010. It employed the world’s leading recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology service providers and the country’s best engineers, project managers and RAS operators with a goal to prove the economic viability of farming marine fish on land. No expense was spared in the fulfilment of this ambition. But after the visionary investor and main funder of the project died in 2012, financial support for the pilot project declined. In 2016, after the resignation of the CEO and the CFO, Pure Ocean East London was in jeopardy, and the facility was placed under provisional liquidation. A new owner was sought, but none was found as investor sentiment in the marine RAS-based fish farming industry hit rock-bottom when other similar commercial scale ventures closed shop around the same time. During these dark days in aquaculture, Aqua Management Technologies (AMT) provided a glimmer of hope as it invested millions to fund growth trials at the facility, keeping it operational for over 18 months. During this time, it made a technological breakthrough in aquaculture feed formulation that is changing the destiny of the entire RAS farming industry – for the better. Now, with its proof-of-

concept complete, the RAS facility is under new ownership and is being commercialized to supply the local South African market with 300 tons of dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus) and yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandii) per annum. AMT is contracted to supply feed to the new operation.

Novel RAS feed formulation AMT’s breakthrough is based on a novel feed formulation that maximizes feed ingredient digestibility by using highly digestible ingredients, custom vitamin premixes and enzymes. By minimizing waste coming from the fish, the technology significantly improves the water quality that the fish live in, mitigating the impact of the “density effect” (i.e. everything that goes wrong with the increased feed rate in an intensive RAS system), so more fish can be stocked into a

Table 1. Average water quality parameters for the six months before and after switching to AMT Intensive feeds.

TAN Alkalinity

pH Buffer pH /kg feed

Standard marine feed

1.0 mg/L N

51 mg/L

150 g/kg

7.0

1 m3/kg

AMT Intensive

<0.1 mg/L N

76 mg/L

0 g/kg

7.45

1 m3/kg

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

Water exchange /kg feed

Figure 2. Growth performance of yellowtail kingfish fed AMT feed (AMT) in a RAS system relative to industry benchmark growth rates of the Australian yellowtail kingfish aquaculture industry (Benchmark).

system with no reduction in growth performance. The technology allows RAS systems to perform much closer to their original design capacity and no purging is needed to remove off-flavors of the product. Table 1 shows average “before and after” water quality parameters in the pilot scale RAS system at the facility for the six months before using AMT feed (when a standard marine feed was used), and for the six months after using AMT feed - under the same feed load. Although fish growth performance improved in line with the water quality improvements (albeit lagging 1-2 months), they never really performed to their full potential. These fish had already been compromised by being exposed to historically sub-optimal environmental conditions. A new growth trial was initiated using “uncompromised” fish with a batch of the sensitive yellowtail kingfish fry (AMT). The batch was stocked into one of the 12 tanks of the pilot RAS system, while the other tanks continued to be used to rear fish for sale on the local market. The trial was conducted in the system with an average water temperature of 21ºC for a 10-month period from an average size 5 grams (2 months post-hatch). Figure 2 shows the

growth performance of the fry relative to aquaculture industry benchmark growth rates for yellowtail kingfish (Yellowtail Kingfish Aquaculture in South Australia Fact Sheet, Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia). The outcome of the trial resulted in the batch reaching an average size of 2.5kg in 12 months from hatching with an economic food conversion ratio of 1.3:1. The final stocking density in the tank was 20 kg/m3. Even though stocking densities were relatively low in the tank, we could not find any reference internationally (scientific, commercial or popular) where similar growth performance of yellowtail kingfish had been achieved in a land-based intensive marine RAS system. We continue to welcome any challenges in this regard.

Conclusions AMT feeds are specifically designed for use in any intensive aquaculture system. The company already offers its feed to rainbow trout, dusky kob and yellowtail kingfish farms but its technology is applicable to all aquaculture species being farmed in intensive systems. AMT is a small, privately held company with partners who know that what they learned in those “dark days” of aquaculture technology development, will be a guiding light to turning the “unproven” marine RAS operations into economically viable and environmentally sustainable businesses, creating jobs and satisfying customers wherever they may be.

More information: Andre Bok Managing Director Aqua Management Technologies E: andre@a-m-t.co.za

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

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Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 12 Issue 4 2020

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