Performance of Atlantic salmon fed NexProÂŽ protein A novel next-generation protein ingredient derived from dry-mill bio-ethanol production
T
by Professor Simon J Davies FRSB, Editor, International Aquafeed, UK, Derek Balk and Melissa Jolly-Breithaupt, PhD, PAS, Flint Hills Resources, USA
he 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 concerns of 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 (DDG) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as feed stock for a wide range of production animals, including fish to some extent, depending on species. There has been much interest in DDGS from alcohol fermentation (i.e. ethanol and whisky distillation), which is 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
Shell Rock, Iowa dry mill ethanol production facility. The newest expansion in NexPro protein production began operations in 2020
Figure 1: Growth curves of post-smolt Atlantic salmon fed increasing inclusion levels of NexPro over 84 days
24 | October 2020 - International Aquafeed