The Extru-Technician, Summer 2017
Summer 2017 3 EXTRUDED AQUAFEED A UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR FEED MANUFACTURERS Aquaculture is a growing industry thanks to its ability to economically produce protein at higher rates and with lower inputs than many other farming methods But one of the challenges that aquaculture faces is the availability of high quality feed Feed performance is particularly important because aquafeed typically accounts for 40 to 70 percent of a farms costs Every type of feed has its own challenges It should be no surprise that aquafeed presents its own A key thing that distinguishes aquafeed from other types of feed is that its not given directly to the animal but instead through a medium water Fish live and breathe in the same environment they eat from Unique complications arise when aquafeed is not manufactured properly For example how a product reacts when being introduced to water in uences its performance This is a feed characteristic that other animal feed or pet food producers would never have to consider In some cases aquafeed pellets need to hold together for a long period of time Any uneaten feed can seriously degrade water quality To ensure that feed is durable and accepted by the target species two factors must be weighed Formulation considerations The raw ingredients and nutritional factors that make up the feed Physical characteristics The package in which those nutrients are delivered Manufacturers that have experience making feed for land based animals can transfer some of their knowledge of nutrition and ingredient formulation to aquafeed However creating aquafeed with the right physical characteristics presents a much bigger challenge Pellets must be sized appropriately and in some cases the length or shape can improve performance Physical characteristics can make or break aquafeed While physical characteristics are important with any type of feed they are critical in aquafeed Substandard physical characteristics can lead not only to wasted feed but also major water quality problems that cost the farmer in terms of money time labor and productivity It is not possible to overemphasize the importance of paying attention to aquafeeds physical characteristics and ensuring that they are consistent within and between batches The health of aquaculture depends on it Physical characteristics to consider include Size Pellets need to be sized appropriately Shape In some cases the length or shape can improve performance Texture Pellet hardness can be important depending on the species Surface texture whether it is smooth or rough is another important aspect With juvenile sh a rough texture can affect acceptability Finally the cell structure of the pellet determines how effectively it holds oils and micronutrients added to the feed after extrusion
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