Evaluation of a locally sourced Calanus-hydrolysate & animal by-product on performance of A. salmon

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Feed accounts for 70-80% of the climate emissions of a salmon that is not transported by plane, and is mainly related to imported feed raw materials. If the Norwegian aquaculture industry is to achieve long-term and sustained growth as the authorities want, we must find feed raw materials with a lower climate footprint than those used in the pellet today. A major challenge for the aquaculture sector is access to sustainable and cost-effective feed ingredients. With the commercialized harvest in Norway and the development of a refined finished product, the copepod Calanus finmarchicus becomes available as feed ingredient to the aquaculture industry. With its favorable chemical composition the resource ticks many boxes for use in Norwegian salmon feed: Locally sourced and produced, low trophic level, high level of protein with a balanced amino acids composition, and free amino acids that are known to improve feed intake. The poultry meal is another viable option for the replacement of fish meal in salmon feed. The viscera are co-products of the poultry slaughtering industry and are of fresh and high quality. European legislation has already 2013 (Regulation 56/2013) opened for the usage of non-ruminant origin animal by-products in European fish feed. Nevertheless, animal by product meals have not been used in the salmon feed in Europe until today. The project “Trophy” is designed to increase knowledge on the potential of one of the 2 commercial products of in diets for Atlantic Salmon post smolts.