ISSUE FOCUS 78 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE August 2025 Specific Dynamic Action in aquaculture is reshaping the industry by revealing how metabolic responses to feeding can influence growth, efficiency, and sustainability. By examining the energy costs of digestion and factors that affect them—like feed composition, temperature, and species— Specific Dynamic Action offers a promising path to optimise production. But how can these insights be practically applied across diverse systems and species? In the constantly changing world of aquaculture, the pursuit of sustainable practices and innovative solutions remain essential. One such dynamic action gaining traction is Specific Dynamic Action (SDA), a forward-thinking approach revolutionizing the way we cultivate aquatic life. With its potential to enhance productivity, minimize environmental impact, and meet the growing global demand for seafood, specific dynamic action represents a promising frontier in the realm of aquaculture. Historically termed "specific dynamic effect" (Beamish, 1974), SDA has been described using various synonyms, including food heat increment, calorigenic effect, and dietary thermogenesis (McCue, 2006). Secor (2009) offers a comprehensive review of these terms. Accurate assessment of SDA is essential for improving feed efficiency and energy budgeting in aquaculture systems. SDA refers to the increase in metabolic rate following food ingestion, representing the energetic costs of digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients in fish and other aquatic animals (Goodrich et al., 2024). Also known as the thermic effect of food (TEF) or dietary-induced thermogenesis (DIT), SDA is one component of total metabolism, along with resting metabolic rate and physical activity. It SPECIFIC DYNAMIC ACTION IN AQUACULTURE: A KEY TO SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD PRODUCTION By Samreen Aushiq & Mehreen Altaf & Ishfaq Nazir Mir & Pankaj Gargotra Fish Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-Kashmir Photo: Freepik
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