ingredient source, because soybean production is having a very negative environmental impact in parts of the world such as Brazil. More companies are therefore beginning to produce oil from alternative sources such as microalgae, including ADM in Chi- cago and Corbion in the Netherlands. In addition, in a May 2020 article in the journal Nature, researchers from Tasmania, California and Monaco explain that in addition to using mi- croalgae and macroalgae for oil in aquafeed, using bacteria, yeast and insects will also be key to supplying future de- mand. “However,” they state, “considerable uncertainties re- main surrounding novel feed efficacy across different life-cy- cle stages and taxa, and various social, environmental, economic and regulatory challenges will dictate their wide- spread use.” For its part, the National Oceanic and Atmospher- ic Administration in the US adds that “the economics of using blended oils is improving as fish oil prices rise and the tech- nology to produce algae, and other replacement ingredients, improves.” Genetics will also play a role in making the switch from ani- mal-based oil and meal aquafeed ingredients. Exciting results from a team of researchers at the University of Idaho headed by Dr Vikas Kumar have recently been announced on this front. From efforts that span most of the last decade, Kumar and his colleagues have selectively bred a strain of rainbow trout that’s 10-15% more feed efficient than conventional farmed trout and that can tolerate diets containing low or zero amounts of marine-based ingredients.


Narrowing down formulations As more information is learned about aquafeed ingredients and the nutrient requirements of various aquaculture species, diet formulations are becoming much more sophisticated, ex- plains Rick Barrow, an aquaculture industry consultant and retired US Department of Agriculture fish nutritionist. Various additives have now been found that improve fish well-being by boosting the immune response and reducing


stress. In a recent article in Veterinaria Digital, Dr Ekaitz Maguregui notes that feeding ‘immunostimulant pronutri- ents’ promotes the activity of immune system macrophages and neutrophils. “Improving the fish immune system has a direct effect on the productive parameters, because they are more prepared to fight infections and, thus, avoid their nega- tive effect on growth and feed utilisation,” states Maguregui. “The use of immunostimulant pronutrients makes it possi- ble to improve feed conversion rates by 31% and increase weight gain by 61%, thanks to their direct effect on the immune system.” In Europe alone, the aquafeed additives market is undergoing an upsurge and is expected by 2026 to reach US$ 285 million (CAGR of 4.8%), according to GM insights. This is due to in- creased production of species such as rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, seabass and sea breams in countries that include Norway, Greece, Scotland and Spain.


Prices According to Grandview research, the aquafeed industry will continue to be faced with the challenges of fluctuations in the prices of ingredients such as maize and soybean and fishmeal, due to factors such as fluctuating oil prices and currencies, adverse weather conditions, ingredient availability, and more. In terms of new ingredients such as oil from microalgae, Barrows notes that “nutritional and economic value are the two measurements, and cost is always a factor, but the cost of these ingredient continues to decline as they scale up, and the costs of fishmeal and oil continue to climb, in general.”


Outlook very strong As had occurred with other livestock feeds over time, aqua- feeds will become more sustainable, specific, palatable, di- gestible and nutritious. In addition, automated feeding systems will result in better species performance and less feed waste.


▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 3, 2021 7


The aquafeed markte is ex- pected to show a 4.1% com- pound annual growth rate this year.


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK


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