IAF Article: Trout Focus, Denmark

In the fourth part of our trout special, International Aquafeed magazine gots an insight into trout in Denmark.

For this perspective, we were lucky enough to speak to Brian Thomsen, Director, the Danish Aquaculture Organisation.

As ever, click here for the story as it appears in the magazine or scroll down for just the text.

English: Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Denmark: Fish feed for trout farming

by Brian Thomsen, Director, Danish Aquaculture Organisation

Danish trout farmers almost exclusively use fish feed manufactured in Denmark. The mains reasons are that they view it as being superior and that it is in compliance with national legislation. Danish national legislation also regulates digestibility but most types of feed exceeds the legal requirements.

Key decision parameters when choosing a feed include: low FQR, high growth rates, national regulation, environmental impact – in general 'price/performance'. 

 

The national average FQR is approximately 0.94, thus we use on average approximately 940g of feed to make 1kg of trout. The protein content is gradually declining but it is typically around 42 percent. The main protein source is fishmeal.

The legislation for freshwater farming was changed this February. One of the key changes is that farms may now choose to be regulated on output (discharge quotas) and not on input (feed quotas). This will probably puts even more emphasis on the 'price/performance' ratio.

The fish farmers are well aware of the fact 'that we are what we eat'. Therefore quality is of the highest importance. We mainly farm white fish but caratenoids are used in fish feeds that are used to make pink trout.

The cost of feed is always a key factor but the cost is judged against performance. The key question is therefore not the price per kg per se but the 'price/performance' ratio. 

 

We produce approximately 10,000 tons of trout in marine farming and 25,000 tons in freshwater farming. The gross output (2010) was approximately €45m for marine farming and €80m for freshwater farming. The industry employs approximately 1000 people (including production and feed and processing).