SPECIAL STORY 54 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2023 THE USE OF SEAWEED IN ANIMAL NUTRITION The majority of cultivated and harvested seaweed is currently used in the food and hydrocolloid industries, with just under 4% used in the animal feed industry (Xie et al., 2023). The dietary fibre and phytochemical composition of macroalgae present a clear opportunity for growth in this sector, utilising a sustainable resource to enhance animal performance and health. Due to bioaccumulation of heavy metals, seaweeds should be utilised at an additive/supplement level in animal feed, rather than as a substitute for traditional terrestrial macro ingredients. In order to accelerate the adoption of a relatively new technology in animal feed, research is required to demonstrate the applications, benefits and economic returns for producers when supplement seaweed. APPLYING A SEAWEED BLEND IMPROVES GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SURVIVAL OF SHRIMP In a study conducted in Thailand with juvenile white shrimp, OceanFeed™ Aqua (OFA) a proprietary blend of red, green and brown macroalgae, significantly (P<0.05) improved tank yield and feed conversion efficiency, resulting in an 11% increase in shrimp yield at the end of the 8-week trial period (Figure 2). Figure 2. Specific growth rate, 8-week weight and feed:gain ratio of juvenile white shrimp consuming a control diet or with added OceanFeed™ Aqua (OFA)
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