Thursday, September 28, 2017

29/09/2017: “The magic bucket”: A patented technology merging optics and machine vision

by Émilie Robichaud, XpertSea

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food source in the world, on an annual basis, we now consume twice as much seafood as we do beef


Meanwhile, the global population continues to grow; in 2050, there will be 9.5 billion people on earth, and with already 800 million malnourished people today, it is becoming evident that the aquaculture industry will need to play a major role in solving the impending food shortage by providing the world with a reliable and sustainable source of protein. 


 
XpertSea team
Image credit: XpertSea
However, a huge technology gap is currently preventing aquaculture from reaching its full potential, being far less developed than agriculture in spite of its rapid growth. An efficient and controlled aquaculture operation requires counting and tracking every animal and recording every input (biomass or feed).

Across the globe, traditional labour-intensive methods such as hand counting and visual inspection are the most common way to keep track of the production of small aquatic organisms.

In their pursuit of a better alternative to these inaccurate sampling methods, Canadian technology company XpertSea has developed a new and unique solution for inventory management and quality assessment of early-stage organisms.

Since 2012, the XpertSea team has visited over 150 aquaculture facilities and has had interactions with more than 1000 producers, realising along the way that even if there is an improvement in feed formulations or genetic pools of fish or shrimp, without an efficient production system, the whole industry will struggle to reach sustainability (lots of waste, lower margins, no accurate data for optimising cultures, rampant diseases, etc.).

A modern solution to a widespread problem
It is from this industry pull and strategic collaborations with leading companies, universities and research centers that XpertSea developed the XperCount2, a device built on patented technology that merges optics and machine vision to automatically count, size and image up to millions of small aquatic organisms at a time.

The device features a robust bucket with a fully electronic lid, a seven-inch touch screen and a long-autonomy battery, meaning no external computer or power outlet is required during operation.

Specimens can be counted and sized in under a minute, with accuracy of 95 percent or higher without the need for a single hand count to calibrate the device. Weighing approximately seven lbs, the XperCount can be transported easily by one person through facilities and requires no installation like flow-through counters, thus integrating quickly and painlessly in all types of aquaculture operations.

Made of FDA-approved materials, the device and its counting process are 100 percent safe for live aquatic organisms. Initial research has shown that by using the XperCount to reduce their feed and labour cost, producers can increase profit margins by up to 40 percent.

XpertSea continually works toward developing new counting applications to fit the needs of all types of aquaculture producers and to make the XperCount as flexible a device as possible. A host of applications have already been developed for counting shrimp nauplii and post-larvae as well as various types of live feed and microalgae.

Furthermore, XpertSea observed while visiting customers worldwide that producers were often mishandling, losing, or simply not recording precious information about their aquaculture production, and as their personal lives were becoming increasingly digital, they were beginning to realise it was time to digitise their business too.

The company became aware that a hardware device that could count aquatic organisms was only the first step, prompting the evolution of its offer into a complete and integrated solution that combines their cutting-edge hardware with modern management software technologies.


Read the full article, HERE.

Visit the XpertSea website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Andritz company profile


ANDRITZ is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and for solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors.

The publicly listed technology Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of almost 25,000 employees. ANDRITZ operates over 250 sites worldwide.


Visit the website HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

28/09/2017: A major milestone, Dr Eckel Animal Nutrition expands Asia business

A dignified setting with prominent political, business and society guests in attendance, Dr Eckel opened its international headquarters (IHQ) in Bangkok on 18 September

The feed-additive specialist celebrated the official company inauguration of Dr Eckel Animal Nutrition (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and its move to the new offices.

The business and political guests, notably the German ambassador Peter Prügel, were impressed by the company’s product and service portfolio, as well as its corporate objectives.

“We are pleased that German companies are expanding globally, significantly shaping and successfully participating in the rapid developments in Asia, in agriculture, for example,” said Peter Prügel, German ambassador to Bangkok.

The company will focus on the Asian markets. “Asia is becoming particularly important for our company, given the tremendous growth in animal nutrition,” explained Dr Antje Eckel.
 

From left to right: Dr Andreas Lewke (Director Asia, Dr Eckel), 
Peter Prügel (German Ambassador in Thailand), Sonklin Ploymee 
(Executive Director, Investment Marketing Bureau / Member of Board 
of Investment), Dr Antje Eckel (CEO Dr Eckel), and Dr Roland Wein 
(Executive Director, German-Thai Chamber of Commerce)
Image credit: Dr Eckel

“We have served the Asian feed industry from a representative office in Bangkok for years, and now we will significantly increase our exposure through our IHQ and our German–Thai subsidiary. We appreciate the assistance of the Thai Board of Investment. We will invest our expertise and effort in developing the Asian market, which has significant growth potential,” the managing director added.

Dr Eckel already has close ties to many well-known animal-feed manufacturers and corporations in Asia. “We want to improve our local customer service and considerably intensify our consultancy efforts,” said director for Asia Dr Andreas Lewke, referring to the international growth strategy.

“There’s an increase in demand for our animal-nutrition products, particularly our innovative products that combine efficiency and safety, and promote animal welfare,” added Mr Lewke.

This is a milestone in the progressive internationalisation of Dr Eckel, established almost 25 years ago and one of the leading German experts in healthy, efficient and responsible animal nutrition.

Visit the Dr Eckel website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

28/09/2017: BIOMIN strengthens commitment to Mexican market, enters transition phase with INUSA

Innovative feed additive producer Biomin has announced plans to strengthen its commitment to the Mexican poultry and livestock sectors in the near future, including the strategic decision to open a local business unit

Building on a quarter-century of success 
Biomin products first became commercially available in Mexico in 1992 through local distributor INUSA Mexico, beginning with the mycotoxin-deactivating Mycofix®. The product offering expanded over the years to include a full suite of Biomin gut performance management solutions: Digestarom®, PoultryStar® and Biotronic®. 


From left to right: Jose Buitron, Erich Erber, Ricardo Pereira
Image credit: Biomin
 “We sincerely thank the INUSA team for the work they have done in promoting cutting-edge Biomin products to customers throughout Mexico over the past 25 years,” stated Ricardo Pereira, Managing Director for Biomin Latin America.

“Thanks to those efforts, the concept of mycotoxin risk management has firmly taken hold in the Mexican market.”

Local Biomin presence planned 
A key component of the strategic push includes a local Biomin business unit based in Guadalajara, Mexico. “We look forward to working more closely with current and future Biomin customers throughout Mexico to achieve successful outcomes,” stated Mr Pereira.

“By directly serving clients, we will be able to offer a more customised set of products and services that respond to specific needs,” he added.

Jose Buitron will lead the Biomin activities throughout the country. “I am confident that Jose, with more than 20 years of animal health and nutrition industry experience, can bring the competitive advantages that Biomin offers –a strong global R&D program, innovative products, technical knowledge sharing and value-adding services— to livestock and poultry businesses in Mexico,” commented Mr Pereira.

A local presence will also allow Biomin to build and enhance important relationships with key opinion leaders and research organisations.

Through its R&D activities, Biomin has a global network of 200 research organisations.

Transition period for existing customers 
For existing customers, a transition period has already begun. “During the transition period, Biomin and INUSA colleagues will work together as a team to ensure a seamless handover, continued service and delivery to customers,” explained Mr Buitron.

In the initial phase, INUSA representatives will be customers’ first contact point for products and technical questions. “We’re grateful to be able to take the reins of a genuine value proposition for our clients and partners,” added Mr Buitron. “We will continue to communicate closely with clients as the transition unfolds through regular updates.”


Visit the Biomin website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

28/09/2017: Defining the extraordinary: Designing recirculating aquaculture systems

by Ben Green MA (Cantab) CEO The Supreme Salmon Co, UK

Recirculating Aquaculture System design is a fascinating subject; it’s been one of my life’s great projects

There are many ways to build a system that works, but there are different designs that work better than others, and that’s the challenge; what’s a very good system and what’s not?

RAS systems should be shaped by cost, durability, efficiency and suitability for the species cultured.

This article is all about the layout of RAS system that I’ve reached after 25 years of designing and redesigning RAS for salmon.

The main holding tank
Salmon are pelagic fish and love to swim, if they can’t swim in a straight line they have to swim in a circle, and if there’s a flow of water against them so much the better. They don’t do lengths like a human swimmer so a raceway design is out and that includes concentric annular ring designs with a large filter in the middle, which are effectively curved raceways. 


 
Image credit: The Supreme Salmon Co
A circular tank with outlets in the middle takes advantage of the conservation of angular momentum, so a relatively small flow of water can provide both a comfortable environment for a salmon and will clean itself sending all the solid wastes to the middle.

This is where the fish live but our elegance of design principle states that the most functions must be completed with the least effort in the simplest, safest way. The main tank is the best place to introduce supplementary oxygenation; it should be deep enough to efficiently dissolve from diffusers and if it’s supplied from a liquid oxygen cryotank and all else fails, there is some independent life support for the precious stock.

I’ve recently started introducing ozone along with the oxygen (something marine aquarists have been doing for years) so no need for a separate external power consuming apparatus for this and it has the wonderful side effect of removing the earthy taste which can make the product unsaleable, so no need for a separate depuration set up.

Most of the systems I’ve seen have a single outlet but why not make use of the fact that nearly the entire solid wastes sink to the bottom of the tank? My tanks have a double circulation, the main outlet in the middle, high in the water and a smaller outlet at the bottom to take away the solid waste.

A double circulation builds in more safety if an outlet gets blocked or either one of them fails for any reason. It’s taken many years before I had the nerve to remove the outlet screen to the bottom drain but salmon like open water and hate dark pipes so now any mortalities are carried straight out of the tank, inefficient mort removal can be a massive problem in RAS.

The main tank is also a good place to skim any froth from the surface of the water; it can be a third outlet at the middle at the surface. I haven’t thought of a good use for a third circulation so it’s a good place for a small overflow pipe to discharge any changeover water as well.

So we already have several functions operating before we’ve even left the main fish holding tank and not really consuming any power either. 


Read the full article, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Liptosa company profile

  
LípidosToledo SA began in 1996 as a family business and under the guidance of a group of professionals with extensive experience in the Animal Nutrition field. 

From the outset, the company's mission has been to provide its clients with personalised service and efficient, natural products that are able to meet the demands of the sector.

In 2000 Lípidos Toledo SA moved its facilities, building a modern manufacturing plant in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain). In 2012 it acquired a new industrial warehouse in the vicinity of the main facilities where the manufacturing of the powder additives takes place and a third storage warehouse.

With these new facilities Lípidos Toledo SA is able to have separate manufacturing lines for the different products they manufacture, avoiding the risk of cross contamination.

Furthermore, the new facilities enable the company to manufacture products with fishmeal derivatives, allowing the company further expansion, mainly in the aquaculture range.

The facilities allow the manufacture of nutritional products, liquid and powder based phytobiotic additives, nutraceutical products and nutritional and specialty products without any risk of the products becoming cross contaminated.

In 2010, Lípidos Toledo SA acquired a large office space at C/ San Romualdo 12-14 in Madrid, Spain where all logistics work is carried out. This enables Lípidos Toledo SA to fulfil its objective of manufacturing products of the highest quality and providing its clients the best service.


Visit the Liptoaqua website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

27/09/2017: Aquabotix expands global distributor network for underwater vehicles and camera systems

New distributors to help support Aquabotix’s expansion into new global sectors and regions, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, India and Brazil

UUV Aquabotix Ltd (ASX:UUV) (“Aquabotix" or the “Company”) announced 25th September the addition of four new distributors to its global network.


 
Image credit: Aquabotix
The partnerships will help support the company’s global expansion and sale of its underwater robotics products, including its Endura ROV (remotely operated vehicle), Hybrid AUV/ROV (autonomous remote vehicle) and AquaLens Connect underwater camera system.

To date, Aquabotix has sold more than 350 vehicles in more than 40 countries. “We understand the importance of growing our channels to sale through our partnerships with our distributors,” said Ted Curley, Chief Development Officer at Aquabotix and a former Teledyne executive instrumental in securing the new distributors.

“The representatives we are partnering with are among the most experienced professionals in the industry and service our primary markets, including oceanography, aquaculture, survey, defense and security.”

Aquabotix’s latest distributors include:


• Sadaret Ltd. serves as a non-exclusive representive for Aquabotix in the United Kingdom and Ireland to help the company better penetrate the UK and European regions. Sadaret specialises in the supply of survey and positioning equipment and services to a wide variety of markets, including marine and land survey, oceanography, precision agriculture, GIS data collection, vehicle telematics, and ocean ecosystem management (OEM).

• Seafloor Systems, Inc. serves as a non-exclusive representative for Aquabotix in California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. With more than 20 years of experience in the hydrographic community, Seafloor Systems specialises in integrated hydrographic survey solutions, and has strong expertise in complete turnkey and integrated Multibeam and Single Beam solutions. Seafloor Systems also maintains the US Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), universities, and survey companies as customers.

• Deekay Marine Services, Pvt. Ltd. serves as an exclusive representative for Aquabotix in India. Deekay Marine Services has provided support and services to marine industries in India for more than three decades. The company is involved in various marine sectors, including hydrography, oceanography, surveillance systems, coastal security systems, engineering, and marine surveying services.

• A2 Marine Solution serves as a non-exclusive representative for Aquabotix in Brazil. With more than 15 years of experience, A2 Marine Solution focuses exclusively on solutions and equipment supply for hydrography applications, bathymetric surveys, and precise positioning.

“As the underwater robotics market continues to grow and we continue to expand our global presence, we are always looking for reliable distributors with whom we can partner,” said Durval Tavares, CEO of Aquabotix.

“Thanks to these recent additions to our network, we are now in a prime position to reach a wider range of users and suppliers and dramatically increase the distribution of our vehicles worldwide.”

For more information, visit the Aquabotix website, HERE

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

27/09/2017: Practical short course on feeds & pet food extrusion

A one week Practical Short Course on Feeds & Pet Food Extrusion will be presented Jan. 21-26, 2018 at Texas A&M University by staff, industry representatives, and consultants

The program will cover information on designing new feed mills and selecting conveying, drying, grinding, conditioning and feed mixing equipment.
 

perdc.tamu.edu

Current practices for production of pet foods, preparing full-fat soy meal; recycling fisheries by-products, raw animal products, and secondary resources; extrusion of floating, sinking, and high fat feeds; spraying and coating fats, digests and preservatives; use of encapsulated ingredients and preparation of premixes, and least cost formulation are reviewed.

Practical demonstration of pet food, vacuum coating, and several others are demonstrated on four major types of extruders - (dry, interrupted flights, single and twin screw), using various shaping dies.

Reservations are accepted on a first-come basis.

For more information, programs and application forms, contact: 

Mian N. Riaz, Ph.D,
CFS Director, Process Engineering R& D Center
(Formally, Food Protein R&D Center)

Head - Extrusion Technology Program
Graduate Faculty, Nutrition and Food Science Dept.

2476 TAMU; Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2476
Tel: 979-845-2774; Fax: 979-845-2744


Visit the Process Engineering Research and Development centre website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

27/09/2017: New research project evaluates salmonella risk in animal feed production

The Institute for Feed Education & Research (IFEEDER), along with several partners, has launched a new research project with the University of Arkansas to analyse whether animal feed contains any of the serotypes from the bacteria Salmonella that could pose a health threat to livestock

The  American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), National Pork Board, National Renderers Association, Poultry Protein and Fat Council, US Poultry and Egg Association, and US Soybean Board are the included partners.


 
Salmonella Bacteria
Image credit: NIAID
(CC BY 2.0)
The yearlong project is aimed at helping the animal feed industry better understand if the bacteria is prevalent at their manufacturing facilities so that it can make more informed decisions on what additional safety measures, if any, should be taken to promote feed safety and protect animal health.

"As an industry, we have long-believed that Salmonella is not a threat in food for animals as it is for people due to the types of grains and ingredients used and the stringent regulatory procedures and processes in place to avoid contamination," said Preston Buff, Ph.D., AFIA's director of regulatory affairs.

"This research will test that hypothesis so that we have the data and scientific analysis we need to continue making safe animal feed for America's 9.6 billion food-producing animals a year."

There are more than 2,500 strains, or serotypes, of naturally occurring salmonellae present in the environment and in animals. Although humans who consume contaminated food or practice poor food handling can sometimes contract Salmonellosis, a foodborne illness that is estimated to cost more than $2.3 billion annually in medical care expenses and productivity losses, it is rare for animals to elicit the same response.

The biology of many animals typically shields them from most strains of the bacteria; however, the Food and Drug Administration considers eight specific salmonellae serotypes to be "hazardous" to five animal species--poultry, swine, sheep, horses, and dairy and beef cattle.

To prevent these serotypes of Salmonella from posing a risk to these animals, AFIA and its partners formed a Salmonella in Feed Coalition, providing a $50,000 grant to the University of Arkansas to conduct a thorough research analysis.

The project will invite 250 US animal food mills that produce livestock feed to voluntarily send samples of their commercial feed to the university for analysis.

Kansas State University, another partner in the project, is developing guidance materials for the volunteers to explain how to collect the samples and will be providing sampling kits.

The facilities will take the samples in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018 from their bulk feed shipments. In all, 500 samples will be collected and analysed. Once the samples are received, Steven Ricke, Ph.D., the University of Arkansas' principal investigator for the project, will test to see if salmonellae are present.

If the sample contains the bacteria, it will be further analysed to determine the specific Salmonella serotype.

The university will provide a full report to the coalition at the end of the project, which it anticipates to be end of summer 2018.

Animal feed mills that are interested in providing samples for the research project should contact AFIA's Preston Buff at pbuff@afia.org.


Visit the AFIA website, HERE.

Visit the IFEEDER website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

27/09/2017: Flexibility is key: Biological filtration in aquaculture

by Gary E. Miller, PhD, President, Advanced Aquacultural Technologies, Inc., USA

In recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), a necessary component is the biological filter


These devices provide for the conversion of soluble wastes to solids through bacterial growth. Most notably being the nitrogenous wastes associated with ammonia and urea.

These materials are toxic to aquatic animals until oxidised to nitrate by the various species of chemoautotrophic bacteria known collectively as nitrifiers. There are a large variety of biological filters used in aquaculture.

All designs strive to provide a large surface area for the bacteria to colonise. Typically these filters have a stationary (fixed) bed or a moving bed of material.

The kinds of materials used (wood, stone, sand, plastic shapes) all reflect the designers intent to confine the materials (and the water being treated) in a space that will not demand a large footprint in the production facility, will be to a large degree self cleaning, will not cause the loss of large volumes of water in the cleaning process and will not consume large amounts of energy or labour to operate.
 

Image credit: Advanced Aquacultural Technologies, Inc.

Trickling filter
One of the oldest designs is a trickling filter. The earliest designs consisted simply of a hole in the ground filled with rocks. It was cheap and relatively easy to build, but subject to accumulating biological solids and very difficult to clean.

Over time, other materials such as wood or plastic slats or structured shapes replaced rocks and the structure was built above ground to facilitate plumbing and provide for protection from the environments. The advantage offered by the trickling filter is in the simplicity of design.

The materials were mounted on a structure to allow water to move toward a discharge manifold and an enclosure is provided to keep the water confined. In time, it became apparent that sufficient space (void fraction) was required within the design layout of the filter medium to allow flushing (self cleaning) of the bacterial solids that accumulated from the growth of bacteria as they consumed the nutrients in the inflow of water.

For the wastewater treatment industry, these devices were built outdoors without regard to most weather conditions; other than freezing.

For RAS facilities, this becomes problematic because environmental conditions are important. The purpose for developing a RAS facility is to provide control of the production conditions to allow year around production, sanitation control and protection from parasites and disease.

As production facilities become larger, the size of trickling filters becomes an issue. As the number of fish (and the amount of food provided) increases, a larger footprint can be required by the filter.

However, the degree to which the water is treated does not increase. The only way to improve the performance of a trickling filter is to make it taller; requiring taller (more expensive) buildings and greater pumping expense to lift the water to the top of the filter.

As the filter becomes taller, it allows the bacteria to specialize; each group feeding on the wastes of the bacteria above them.


Read the full article, HERE.

Visit the Advanced Aquacultural Technologies Inc website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Biorigin company profile




Biorigin is a Brazilian company which mobilises knowledge and technology to promote health and quality of life. Using biotechnological processes, it produces natural ingredients for flavor enhancement, sodium reduction, shelf life extension in food market; and nutritional enrichment of feeds and substitutes for antibiotics.


It is a business unit of Zilor, a company with more than 65 years of experience and one of the largest Brazilian producers of ethanol, sugar and electricity from sugar cane.

Biorigin was founded in 2003, and in 2008 acquired the companies PTX Food Corp in The United States and Immunocorp and Animal Health, in Norway, expanding and strengthening its international presence.


Visit the website HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Monday, September 25, 2017

26/09/2017: Gold sponsor Nutriad hosted technical session at MYCOKEY

Belgium headquartered feed additives specialist Nutriad was a proud sponsor of the 1st MycoKey International Conference that took place in September in Ghent (Belgium)

MycoKey aims to deliver the first integrated ICT tool to address mycotoxin contamination along the food and feed chain.  
Dr Olga Averkieva
Image credit: Nutriad

Partners in the project seek enable real-time information and suggestions for mycotoxin management.

As the conference provided room for sharing relevant research data, Nutriad hosted a technical session at the conference.

The negative impact of moulds and mycotoxins on animal production is an ever-increasing concern.

The challenges in mycotoxin and toxigenic mould research are still enormous due to the frequency, the complexity and
variability in occurrence.

As one of the industry leaders in providing practical solutions for mycotoxin risk control, Nutriad’s team of nutritionists, biochemists and veterinarians combines a hand on approach with in depth research.

Many research projects are conducted in close cooperation with leading universities around the world.

At the MycoKey conference Olga Averkieva, Business Development Manager Nutriad, presented Nutriad promising results that were obtained by researchers from the University of Missouri, Columbia (USA) on the effect of TOXY-NIL® and UNIKE® Plus on the reduction of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in milk of lactating dairy cows fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB1).

Dr Averkieva stated, “Results indicate that inclusion of TOXY-NIL® and UNIKE® Plus significantly reduced AFM1 in milk of cows consuming TMR. Another outcome was a clear indication that both TOXY-NIL® and UNIKE® Plus reduced absorption of AFB1.”


Visit the Nutriad website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

26/09/2017: Anpario appoints Corporate Development Director, Dr Helen Houghton MRCVS

Anpario are pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Houghton as Corporate Development Director

Helen will report to Andrew Jackson, Group Commercial Director, and will be based from their  Cranfield office near Milton Keynes. Alongside Andrew Jackson, she will assist in the development of strategic new sales channels and specific sales related projects globally. 


 
Helen Houghton
Image credit: Anpario
Helen will also assume responsibility as the line manager for Marketing and the Global Pricing Strategy Team. Helen is joining Anpario from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, formerly Merial Animal Health Ltd where she was Head of Avian for all European markets, and Russia.

Helen joined Merial in 2005, and she was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 2010 where she studied disease prevention in the chicken embryo and young chick, which involved travelling to USA, Netherlands, China and India.

Helen has an impressive educational background. She studied Physiology, Biochemistry and Nutrition of Farm Animals at the University of Reading and went on to achieve her Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College.

She joined Towcester Veterinary Centre and enjoyed three years working in mixed practice. Helen joined Hoechst Roussel Vet (later to become Intervet) as Veterinary Technical Manager for all species and was the Named Veterinary Surgeon responsible for all animals at the Milton Keynes site, which were involved in research & development and quality control.

Later, Helen became a Project Manager in R&D and Veterinary Advisor for all avian, swine, equine, bovine and ovine vaccine projects and in 2004, was awarded the RCVS Certificate for Laboratory Animal Science.

Andrew Jackson, Group Commercial Director said “I am delighted that Helen is joining the Anpario team and excited for the development of Anpario over the next few years. Helen has a remarkable wealth of experience and she will bring instrumental support to myself and guidance to the rest of the Anpario team, which will help strengthen and develop Anpario as a global brand”

Visit the Anpario website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

26/09/2017: Protecting against bacteria with enhanced UV systems

by Ultraaqua, Denmark

The Danish trout and pike perch producer, AquaPri, decided in 2016 to expand its production facilities due to the increasing demand for fish

From a production capacity of 250 metric tonnes of pikeperch farming, adding another 500 metric tonnes plant, AquaPri can now ensure continuous output throughout the entire year.

 
Image credit: Ultraaqua
The new plant was originally designed without a UV system in place, but throughout the startup phase, problems with bacteria grew rapidly.

Therefore, ULTRAAQUA’s challenge was to properly design and size a UV system for retrofit, that effectively ensured protection against bacteria, as well as increasing the survival rate and drastically reducing the use of medication.

AquaPri’s pikeperch farm is a state-of-the-art RAS plant, where the stable production and biosecurity is kept through several of ULTRAAQUA’s UV Channel systems. The main systems are two MR100-350SS Channel units which were chosen for keeping the recirculated water free of diseases.

The units have a disinfection volume of 2600 m3/h/ unit in a very compact area, where the footprint of the 35kW unit is under 1m2. Each unit holds 100pcs of 350W lamps, with a guaranteed lamp lifetime of 16,000 hours, which can save up to 22 percent in operational costs.

Ultraaqua has developed the most powerful yet most efficient UV-systems in the market, where the long lifetime and efficiency is a result of 20 years research and development work. The guaranteed 16,000 hours lifetime is achieved by an advanced optimisation between the lamps and its ballast.

The Channel system is developed for fully automatic use. An advanced PLC control is constantly monitoring and adjusting the electrical parameters of each individual lamp to ensure their optimal performance to meet dose requirements in the most energy efficient way.

Henning Priess, owner and managing director of AquaPri, is very satisfied with his newly installed ULTRAAQUA channel units, since the facility experienced a log four reduction in bacteria count after installing the units.


Read the full article, HERE.

Visit the Ultraaqua website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

FAMSUN company profile



Muyang Co, Ltd recently announced changing its brand name from Muyang to FAMSUN starting May 2014. This move is prompted by the idea of better illustrating the company’s business and the farm-to-table industry chain it serves. It is consistent with Muyang’s global strategy and its aim of becoming an integrated solution provider in the agro-industry.

FAMSUN originates from “famous, farm, family, sun and union”; it implies Muyang Co, Ltd’s development concept and vision, which is to build a green and healthy supply chain from farm to table together with its customers and to convert traditional agriculture into a modern, profitable and sustainable business with its integrated solutions in feed manufacturing, grain milling, grain handling and storage, food processing, as well as industrial automation.

The creative design of the FAMSUN logo features a beveled letter “F”, a curvy letter “A”, a stretching letter “S” and a friendly letter “U”. It will be the only signage representing Muyang’s business, products, service and solutions. Meanwhile, the company will continue to operate in its current structure, provide follow-up service based on relevant agreement, and its business contacts will remain unchanged. 


Visit the website HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Sunday, September 24, 2017

25/09/2017: Aller Aqua inaugurates its fifth factory

On the 27th September Aller Aqua Group will inaugurate its fifth factory – Aller Aqua Zambia. An important milestone for the fish feed producer which has a strong foothold in the African market.

“It will be a proud day when we inaugurate our fifth factory, which is also our second factory on the African continent”, Henrik Halken, Group Vice President for Aller Aqua Group, explains. 



“The growth in Egypt and the success we experience through our own sales companies in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana prove that there is a market for aquafeed of a higher quality than the customers here are used to. We have been present in Africa for a long time, and now the time was right to take the next step and establish an additional factory.”

 
Image credit: Aller Aqua
The Zambian factory is a USD 10 million investment, with a capacity of 50,000 tons per annum. It is established as a joint venture with Oakfield Holdings Limited. Further, Aller Aqua has an off-take agreement with Yalelo Limited, which is one of the world’s largest producers of tilapia.

Yalelo plans growth of 50 percent per annum according to Bryan McCoy, CEO of Yalelo Limited.

The agreement secures Aller Aqua’s foothold in the market and creates a strong base for export to neighboring countries.

The company’s success in the markets boils down to having the right partners.

Niels Lundgaard, Commercial Director – Africa for the Aller Aqua Group explains, “It is crucial to find the right people for collaboration in any market. We have found these people, and this has given us the best possible starting point in the market. Locally, we have some very strong teams in place. The key is local knowledge, industry specific experience and a drive to take the projects further.”

The African market is predicted to grow significantly within the coming years. The UN forecasts a rise in population on the African continent to 2 billion by 2050. This will increase the demand for healthy and sustainably produced foods such as fish.

Enabling the local producers of tilapia and catfish to achieve a higher yield from their fish farms plays a key role in Aller Aqua’s strategy for the African market.

At the same time, the strategy supports the UN’s sustainable development goals by reducing poverty and hunger, increasing health and creating responsible consumption and production.

Aller Aqua provides local farmers with better prerequisites for achieving growth, through education as well as fish feed of a higher quality than they have traditionally been used to. This will facilitate faster growth for the fish, and the farmer can produce a finished fish in shorter time, enabling him to earn more from his products and in turn employ more people, benefitting the area in which he is based.

With a strategy which incorporates good local management, exchange of know-how, constant care and lots of training Aller Aqua has built a solid foundation for its business in Africa.

Furthermore, the company is also very active in Europe and Asia. In October Aller Aqua will inaugurate its sixth factory this time in Qingdao in China, putting another stone to the solid foundation of Aller Aqua’s growth around the world.

“After a long period of investments, we have doubled our capacity, and now we need to focus on sales and securing and maintaining our position. We are manning up everywhere, not least at the head office in Denmark, to support the international growth. We are busy but excited about the positive development in Aller Aqua. Together with our dedicated local teams we can take advantage of this potential,” Hans Erik Bylling, CEO of Aller Aqua Group states.


Visit the Aller Aqua website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

25/09/2017: BBC award for protein that will feed the world

Insect protein pioneer wins broadcaster’s first international food and farming award 

AGRIPROTEIN has won fresh acclaim in the quest for a new source of protein to feed the planet’s burgeoning population.

The waste-to-nutrient pioneer was recently (20 September 2017) named the BBC Food Chain Global Champion for its flagship product which is helping secure the future of food while delivering significant environmental benefits.


Black soldier fly - an amazing insect
Image credit: AgriProtein
 An animal feed ingredient made from fly larvae reared on food waste, MagMeal™ is a protein substitute for fishmeal widely used in aquaculture, agriculture and petfood.

With world fish stocks under threat, MagMeal™ offers a natural, sustainable alternative that will never run out as long as humans produce waste.

Part of the prestigious BBC Food & Farming Awards 2017, the Food Chain Global Champion is a new category for this year - and the BBC’s first ever international food and farming award – recognising outstanding work that is challenging established methods and practices to secure the future.

BBC World Service Sr. Commissioning Editor Steve Titherington said, “The culture of food, the science, technology, politics and business associated with food are key concerns to our worldwide audience. Our Global Champion Award highlights both the challenges and fascinating successes being created by individuals around the world.”

New York based chef, restaurateur and author Pierre Thiam said, "Insects are the protein of the future, so it's great to see AgriProtein already doing it for animal feed. Raising flies on food waste is just brilliant, because nothing need go to waste anymore. This so-called waste is feeding the animals that will feed the world."

Mr Thiam was part of an independent panel of award judges, chaired by food writer Madhur Jaffrey, that included Polly Russell (Curator at the British Library), Mark Rosegrant (director of the environment and production technology division at the International Food Policy Research Institute) and Shashi Sareen (food safety expert, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations).

AgriProtein co-founder and CEO Jason Drew said, “Insect protein is an idea whose time has come and we are now producing it at an industrial scale. This award is a vote of confidence in the waste-to-nutrient industry.”

He continued, “Trawling for fishmeal is one of the most destructive activities on the planet. Replacing it in animal feed is good news for the environment and means more of the world’s dwindling population of wild fish can be harvested sustainably for human consumption. By using existing waste to rear fly larvae, we’re reducing the greenhouse gases and pollution caused by organic landfill.”

New EU regulations permit the use of insect-based nutrients in aquafeed since 1 July 2017, while other geographies already permit its wider use in agriculture and petfood.

AgriProtein, which recently announced the move to a London HQ, has fly farm projects under development in several countries to produce MagMeal™ for the $100 billion aquafeed market and ultimately for poultry, pigs and petfood.

Using a factory roll-out model developed with global engineering firm Christof Industries, the company is able to deliver fly farms on a turnkey basis anywhere in the world at the rate of up to 25 factories per year.

Earlier this year AgriProtein entered the Global Cleantech Top 100 and won a CleanEquity award for its environmental technology research presented by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. Last year its industrially-scalable solution to the depletion of fish stocks in the Indian Ocean won the Australian government’s Blue Economy Challenge 2016.

A Food Chain programme about MagMeal™ airs on BBC World Service on Thursday 21st September and there’s a two-part special about the Awards on BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme on Sunday 24th September at 11.32 GMT and Monday 25th September at 14.30 GMT.


Visit the AgriProtein website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

25/09/2017: Improving white shrimp productivity on a Mexican farm

by Dr Ron Cravens, Amlan

Calibrin-Z has been proven to bind a broad spectrum of biotoxins, both mycotoxins and bacterial toxins

Prior published research using Calibrin-Z showed that alpha and NetB toxins from Clostridium perfringens, which causes necrotic enteritis in chickens, could be controlled in vitro and in vivo.
 

Then research reported at the World Aquaculture Society conference in 2015 showed that Calibrin-Z bound the two major toxins from Vibrio parahaemolyticus that cause Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) and ameliorated their effects on juvenile shrimp.

Testing in Arizona showed that feeding Calibrin-Z increased the survival rate of shrimp from five percent (Challenged Control) to 84 percent (Challenge + Calibrin-Z) during EMS challenge studies.

Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the value of adding Calibrin-Z to shrimp feed used on a commercial facility.

Research methods
Nine million juvenile shrimp in nine five-hectare ponds located in Sonora, Mexico were used in this study. The ponds were at high risk of having an outbreak of EMS during the trial period.

The shrimp in four of the ponds were fed Calibrin-Z (0.5% inclusion), and their results were compared to those of five ponds of shrimp that were fed a diet supplemented with a mixture that was felt to help control EMS.

The study was conducted from August to November 2016, typically the last shrimp production batch of the year for this area. The feed formulation (other than the additives that were being compared), immunisation programme, and management were the same between all the ponds.

The shrimp were fed multiple times per day and feed consumption of each pond was recorded weekly to calculate the feed conversion ratio at the end of the study. Mortality, weather conditions, and water quality were monitored for each pond.

No outbreak of Early Mortality Syndrome was observed during the study and survival rate was similar between the two treatments. Shrimp were harvested when they reached an average of 14g. Days on feed and shrimp weights were measured on the day of harvest.

Read the full article, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Biomin company profile




BIOMIN are dedicated to finding innovative, trend-setting solutions that empower their customers to master existing and future challenges in animal nutrition– the natural way. The application of their scientific know-how and expertise, based on an in-depth understanding of their customer’s needs and concerns, enables them to deliver solutions that support animal health, optimise performance and production efficiency.

Research and development is one of the cornerstones of BIOMIN. Their strong in-house research and development, and global cooperation with leading institutions and organisations form the basis by which innovative solutions are developed for their customers.

Through joint projects with renowned universities and research institutes, BIOMIN is constantly in touch with the latest scientific know-how, from which novel feed additives are developed and produced. Their global network of collaborating institutions has grown to over 100.

One of the cornerstones of BIOMIN’s success is the ongoing improvement of their inhouse quality standards. In 1997, BIOMIN introduced the international ISO 9001 standard. The HACCP system, introduced subsequently at BIOMIN’s production sites, provides the quality assurance our customers seek from them. In addition, the feed quality standards QS and GMP+ guarantee the utmost degree of control and quality for their products – from raw material inputs right through to the final product.

Concerns over climate change and the role of greenhouse gases continue to rise. In September 2011, BIOMIN was internationally recognised through the award of ISO 14040 ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ certification. By optimising feed use and improving animal performance, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations.
Through innovative production technologies and advanced, scientific know-how, BIOMIN has pioneered several trend-setting solutions for a range of animal nutrition products, all of which utilise fully natural processes and ingredients.

An in-depth understanding of what the customer’s needs and concerns are has enabled BIOMIN to create and deliver solutions in-line with performance and efficiency goals.


Visit the BIOMIN website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

Friday, September 22, 2017

22/09/2017: Aquaculture Vietnam updates

Image courtesy of UBM newsletter. 
Vietnam targets sustainable aquaculture. 

According to the report of the Directorate of Fisheries  (MARD), the total aquaculture and fishery production reached 4,007 million tonnes in July, which is an increase of 4.4% compared to last year. In which, aquaculture output was 2,057 million tonnes, an increase of 4.1%. 

Aquaculture Vietnam 2017 - reaching out to fish and shrimp farmers in the Mekong Delta
Ms Rungphech Chitanuwat, Group Director of UBM Asia, ASEAN Business commented, "UBM recognises that the aquaculture sector plays an important role in the economy of Vietnam and still has great potential to grow further. Through Aquaculture Vietnam 2017, UBM is committed to driving innovation, boosting competitiveness and promoting best practices for sustainable farming in Vietnam, especially in the Mekong Delta. 

Hosted by Directory of Fisheries (MARD), this event will be held from October 25, 27, 2017 at the Can Tho International Exhibition Fair Centre (EFC). Aquaculture Vietnam 2017 provides a must attend B2B platform to showcase the latest innovations and technologies, look for new suppliers, partners and business opportunities and keep up to date with industry news and trends. 

100+ Exhibitors. 
4,000+ Trade Visitors. 
20+ Countries. 

Highlights of the programme

  • International Aquaculture Conference
  • Mekong Chef Competition 
  • Bus-in Programme
Visit Aquaculture Vietnam 2017 and network with thousands of industry professionals. 


Visit the website for the event here

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by
Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news