44 Feed Technology
A conversation on functional nutritional solutions for shrimp and fish farming in LATAM and APAC regions There may be small regional differences on the uptake of functional feeds but, for any farmer, it is return on investment of the farming business, say ADM’s François Jégou and Yoav Rosen subject is mainly ADM’s functional feeds for shrimp (and for other species such as the tilapia) and crucial stages in farming where the team sees a need for functional feeds. Since both Jégou and Rosen are active in Asia and Latin America (LATAM), we took the opportunity to get them to compare the level of understanding and acceptance with regards to functional feeds among farmers in both regions.
Approaches on health and growth performance
In this interview, Yoav Rosen, Global Aquaculture Marketing Director, ADM Animal Nutrition (left) and Dr François Jégou, Aquaculture Health & Performance for ADM Animal Nutrition elaborate on the present and future of functional feeds to counter adverse conditions in shrimp and fish farming, for better health and growth performances.
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t the recent World Aquaculture 2022 in Mérida, Mexico, ADM’s aquaculture teams presented some recent functional nutritional solutions. They shared in vivo trial results and benefits for the shrimp industry when using functional feed additives. Dr François Jégou, Aquaculture Health & Performance for ADM Animal Nutrition, concluded that its functional feed offers unique benefits for use in shrimp culture and daily management, improving growth while significantly helping the shrimp to better cope with physiological and disease stress. ADM is among the ABCDs, the top four global agricultural companies. In 2019, it acquired the animal nutrition business of Neovia, giving it a leading role in aquaculture in both Asia and Latin America. Pancosma, acquired in 2019, provides innovative animal feed additive solutions and concepts including bioactives and organic acids. ADM’s R&D network of research centres in Latin America and Asia explore and investigate additives for aquaculture to complete its feed businesses with a full range of components and formulations. Aquafeed marketing for Asia radiates mainly from the feed mill in Vietnam but a recent acquisition in Mindanao will allow local aquafeed production in the Philippines. In Mexico, Brazil and the rest of South America, the company has a strong position in the tilapia and shrimp feed markets. This online interview is with France-based Jégou who has 30 years of experience in disease prevention and focuses on health and stress management as a synergistic support to farm performance and sustainability. Yoav Rosen, Global Aquaculture Marketing Director, ADM Animal Nutrition joined this conversation from Switzerland. The
July/August 2022 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
The objective is to help the farmer and culture species. “This is where we promote the health of the shrimp through different feed additives in our functional feeds. Stress can lead to disease; disease causes stress, and the idea is to help the shrimp to reduce stress.” In Mexico, the newcomer in ADM’s aquaculture portfolio is an immune modulator and Jégou commented, “We know there is a feed, but it is interesting also to enhance the microbiota in a way to improve growth performance and health. Quite generally in Mexico, stocking density is low, at around 15 post larvae/m2, versus in Asia where it is not uncommon to see up to 200 post larvae/m²or more.” Jégou added that with the different culture systems, there are totally different approaches, although the commonality is that in both regions, there is a high risk of infections from pathogens, viruses and bacteria, as well as microsporidians. “Environmental challenges are common in both regions, even though water quality management are not addressed in the same way.” Rosen concurred, “While surely there are differences between the culture methods and the stocking densities in Asia and Latin America, there are also similarities. It remains a fact that we are in aquaculture operations trying to bring maximum production to create profits for the farm. So, common to both regions is the attempt to mitigate the stress factors in aquaculture production.”
Functional feeds for shrimp and fish
“Feed is almost the only component we can deliver immediately to the shrimp to have an impact, both on growth and health,” said Rosen. Jégou added that there is an opportunity to tailor the feed with different additives to counter an adverse situation as best as possible. “With early mortality syndrome (EMS), or acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), we need to remember that very often it is not alone, it comes with some other viral pathogens, or the microsporidian EHP (Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei), etc. We need to formulate a feed that is best adapted to the global situation.” Rosen reiterated, “However, the question is how we can make sure that those feed additives really address the entire needs of the industry, especially with so many challenges in the farm. So how do we bring a comprehensive solution at ADM.”
