Christiansfeld, Denmark-based aquaculture firm Aller Aqua has debuted a new aquafeed specifically designed for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).
Its PowerRAS feed line is based upon Aller Aqua’s proprietary research on raw material nutrient digestibility for fish at different life stages and under varying environmental conditions, the company said.
“The PowerRAS concept meets the high demands towards feed for RAS in terms of feed efficiency, optimal water quality, and subsequent fish growth,” Aller Aqua said in a press release. “The concept is the result of continuous research and trial work at Aller Aqua research in combination with field trials.”
The rapid growth of RAS farms worldwide prompted Aller Aqua to develop a line of products specifically for the sector, the company said. The feed is designed to optimize nutrient digestibility and palatability, feces quality, fish metabolism, and the ratio of digestible protein to digestible energy (DP: DE ratio), technical quality of the feed, and feed functionality.
“The control measures in RAS technology allow for fish production under constant environmental conditions. This accurate optimization between water parameters and fish biomass requires external factors to seamlessly integrate into this equilibrium. In this respect, feed is the most influential external factor in RAS,” the company said.
Other specifications of the PowerRAS tailored to RAS include:
- Low dust – feed formulated so that feed breaks up as minimally as possible to minimize contamination of water quality and biofilters.
- Low leaching – despite the attraction leaching causes for fish to feed, it can also lead inefficient nutrient delivery. In an RAS system, efficiency is the more important of the two factors, according to Aller Aqua.
- High stability – the PowerRAS feed is specifically designed to withstand transport, storage, and automatic feeding systems with air pressure. It also retains a level of plasticity to absorb impacts from handling, the company said.
- Optimized density and smooth surface – smoother surfaces and heavier density result in fewer loose particles, which can affect water quality.
- Improved feces quality – high feces stability and weight improves the efficiency of mechanical cleaning units.
Aller Aqua Product Manager Robert Tillner said the product is on the forefront of fish feed development.
“Together with our customers and research partners we develop innovative feed concepts that address the demands from the market. The PowerRAS concept has been developed based on many years of research. We have kept up with the increasing sophistication of RAS, whilst focusing on the benefits for the RAS farmers,” Tillner said. “This is what will separate our feed from the competition.”
Photo courtesy of Aller Aqua
