NEWS 78 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2022 Protix and Hendrix Genetics jointly developed a sustainable way of selective breeding for large scale insect production. This combination, in which Protix is the insect and production expert and Hendrix Genetics the expert in animal genetics, proved to be very successful. The results of the joint project showed that substantial genetic improvement can be realized through selective breeding. Black Soldier Fly larvae with desirable qualities were selected and bred to produce improved offspring generation after generation. Due to the short life cycle and large reproductive capacity of BSF, there is huge potential to make this already sustainable species even more sustainable, for example by using less feed, land, and water. After running the selective breeding program for two years, a large-scale and fully automated production trial was done at Protix production facilities in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands. An average Genetic scientists from the Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) have partnered with Earth Ocean Farms to unpack the genetic mysteries of the valuable Pacific red snapper. Partnership for genetic mysteries of Pacific red snapper World-leading genetic scientists from the Center for Aquaculture Technologies have partnered with Earth Ocean Farms (EOF) in Baja Mexico to unpack the genetic mysteries of the valuable Pacific red snapper (Lutjanus peru) to boost productivity and promote faster growth. The development of this customized breeding program is the first of its kind for Pacific red snapper. It will assist EOF to select for specific traits in the snapper stock that show higher production yields through improved growth performance and phenotypic traits. The elements of the selection include insights into feed conversion and product yield. The in-house genotyping teams at CAT have developed a custom panel of genetic markers to accelerate genetic improvement in red snapper, analyze performance and ensure the overall health of the stock. “It is exciting to apply our knowledge to new species,” says John Buchanan, President and CEO of CAT, “By using a customized approach, our expert team will be able to quickly show significant improvements for EOF. Ensuring a healthy genetic diversity among EOF’s broodstock will provide future options as flexibility and continued improvement are the keys to profitability.” “The future of sustainably raised red snapper is vitally important to take the pressure of the overfishing of the wild Pacific and Atlantic red snappers while meeting the market demand for this delicious fish,” says Pablo Konietzko, Director General of Earth Ocean Farms. Protix first insect genetic selection program yields incredible results
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