Performance of Atlantic salmon fed NexPro®: A novel next generation protein ingredient derived from dry-mill bio-ethanol production

by Professor Simon J Davies FRSB, Editor, International Aquafeed, UK, Derek Balk and Melissa Jolly-Breithaupt, FHR Biofuels & Ingredients Nutrition Specialists, Flint Hill Resources LLC, USA

The quest for alternative proteins in aquaculture is of increasing importance, primarily due to the rapid expansion of the industry and the constraint being imposed on marine ingredients like fishmeal and terrestrial plant ingredients such as soybean meal, due to concern as to their long-term sustainability. The rearing of high value fish species places demands on feed formulations that are high in protein to meet the stringent nutritional requirements of these fish. Salmon are of particular importance, considering the iconic image they portray in fish farming.

Total global production of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is estimated to have increased by some seven percent in 2019, to around 2.6 million tonnes. This marks the third consecutive year of strong supply growth, following an increase of around five percent in 2018. The three major contributors to this expansion were Norway, Chile and Scotland.
  

It is estimated that the global salmon industry is worth in excess of EU €13 billion (US $14.7 billion) and is highly dependent on a large investment and supportive infrastructure that includes a well-established feed manufacturing platform. In this respect, it is critical we examine the utilisation of novel feed ingredients for a sustainable industry to meet consumer demands and reliable production figures. The range of options is large and one such area of active interest is the potential of distillers’ dried grain enhanced protein by-products, resulting from the bio-ethanol industries.

Previously, there has been much interest in the more traditional sources of distillers’ dried grains with and without solubles as feed stock for a wide range of production animals, including fish to some extent, depending on species. DDGS from potable alcohol fermentation (i.e. beer and whisky distillation) was utilised mainly in rations and the issue of high fibre content placed limitations on their use for monogastric animals, with most of the by-products being directed towards ruminant feeds in concentrate fractions of the diet. Some applications in aquafeed for tilapia and carp (Omar, 2009) proved quite successful and were efficiently digested by these omnivorous fish species, compared to dietary constraints in carnivorous fish such as trout and salmon. 

Read more, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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