Recent advances in fish feed technology

Abstract

Development of appropriate feeds is one of the many challenges today’s aquaculture sector is facing in addition to issues such as diseases/ epizootics, broodstock domestication/ improvement, hatchery and grow-out technology, feed delivery mechanisms as well as water-quality management. A better understanding of the science of fish nutrition is essential to economically produce a healthy and high quality product for human consumption. It is very critical especially for fish farming because feed cost represents at least 40-50% of the production cost. Fish nutritionists around the world are generating knowledge-base on the requirements of specific nutrients for a particular species, on ingredients’ suitability and level for a species, and on variety of other aspects, which ultimately is promoting development of new and balanced aquafeeds for sustainable aquaculture. Development of species-specific feed formulations is becoming a reality in many European and American countries. Feed formulation is followed by feed manufacture (or structuring of feed). Grinding, mixing, pre-cooking/ steaming, pelletizing/ extruding, drying, packaging and storage are some of the major steps while manufacturing feed. Developments are taking place in the machineries that are required for manufacturing aquafeeds. This chapter will briefly describe the basic principles of fish nutrition and feed formulation before dealing with feed manufacture and feed delivery. Some of the recent developments in fish feed technology include determination of nutrient requirements of newer aquaculture species, inclusion of newer ingredients in the feed formulation, supplementation of exogenous enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, immunostimulants, mild acids etc. in feed formulation, feed extrusion to get desired size/ shape/ floating characteristics of feed, precision feeding with advanced delivery mechanisms etc.