FEATURE
Fish
for the Future
B
by by MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA
eef and chicken often come to mind when people think about protein. But with the world’s population growing, the need for more sources of protein like seafood increases too. “Fish provide an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals and heart-healthy fats,” says Luc Grisez, PhD, Executive Director, Global Aquaculture Research and Development, MSD Animal Health. “The challenge is to prevent deadly diseases that can compromise animal well-being and threaten entire fish farms and the food supply. Protecting fish from disease and controlling bacteria, viruses and parasites is vital to ensure consistent fish harvests, which contributes to fish health, welfare and safety.” Fish account for about 17 percent of all animal proteins and seven percent of all proteins worldwide. On average, fish provide about 3.2 billion people with almost 20 percent of average per capita intake of animal protein. In fact, China, Japan and the United States eat the most fish of all countries globally. MSD Animal Health is one of the world’s leading developers and marketers of medicines and vaccines that help treat and prevent diseases, especially in salmon and tilapia. The company’s focus is to identify and treat specific aquaculture diseases, delivering both preventative and treatment options, and work with fish farms around the world to implement good farm management
practices and protocols to ensure cleaner and healthier fish. After all, fish health, welfare and safety need to be effectively managed during the treatment cycle and at key points in the production cycle. “Fish diseases are prevalent everywhere and they can disrupt production in an instant,” says Chris Beattie, PhD, Executive Director of Aquaculture, MSD Animal Health. “It’s important that we discover which diseases are present, how to maintain control, and how to effectively protect fish from future exposure.”
20 | December 2018 - International Aquafeed