RESEARCH - Research Summary

Research Summary

The aquaculture feed industry is fundamentally different from feed industries for terrestrial species in that it is highly dependent on two products generated by global fisheries: fish meal and fish oil. Total production of fish meal and fish oil are approximately 6 million and 1.4 million tons per year and this level of production is expected to remain constant or decrease slightly in the future. In contrast to the stagnant supply of fish meal and fish oil, the production of aquaculture feeds is expected to quadruple this decade. This discrepancy between supply and demand threatens the sustainability of the aquaculture industry unless alternative sources of protein and oils are developed.

Total replacement of fish mal with plant proteins has proven difficult. Soybeans are the most important plant protein source in the world, accounting for approximately 75% of all plant and animal protein used on animal agriculture and they are expected to be a major feed ingredient in aquaculture diets. Canola meal and flax are two feed ingredients with desirable properties as aquafeeds. However, they also contain numerous anti-nutritional factors, such as insoluble and soluble fibre. MCN Bioproducts Inc. of Saskatoon SK, has developed a canola protein concentrate (CPC) with a high level of digestible protein and low levels of anti-nutritional factors that make it a desirable alternative to fish meal. Flax is the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent alternative to fish oil which is the currently used source of these essential nutrients.

The objectives of this research project are to determine the effect of 1) long-term feeding of canola protein concentrate (CPC) to rainbow trout on growth rates, feed efficiency, intestinal histology and inflammatory responses and 2) replacing fish meal and oil with CPC and dehulled flax on flesh quality, as methods of reducing the reliance of the aquafeed industry on these products and reducing the contamination of farmed fish by organochlorines.

Network Investigators

Murray Drew, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK
David Janz, Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK
Andrew Van Kessel, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK