17/02/14: New! IAF column: Requirement and digestibility modelling to ensure safe phosphorus intake, by Dominique P. Bureau

Dominique P. Bureau, member of the
International Aquafeed editorial panel

This column appeared in the January/February 2014 edition of International Aquafeed magazine, available now in English, Spanish and Chinese.

 One of the major environmental concerns for freshwater fish farming operations is the release of phosphorous waste. This element is the most limiting factor for algae growth in freshwater ecosystems, and even a modest increase can, under certain conditions, set off a chain of undesirable events in the water body including accelerated plant growth and algae blooms. The potential for deleterious effects on aquatic ecosystems is high. 

On the other hand, phosphorous is an essential nutrient for ll animals. There is a need therefore to maintain the supply of the nutrient (in digestible form) to meet the requirements of the farmed organisms while warding off dietary excess, which results in increased waste output and the potentially deleterious environmental impacts. In addition to this, phosphorous is a relatively expensive nutrient. On top of environmental concerns, formulating feeds to higher-than-required phosphorous levels can in some cases reduce their cost-effectiveness.

Read the full column in the Jan/Feb 2014 edition of International Aquafeed here.