Alltech-KSU alliance's aquaculture studies have focused on reducing, and even eliminating, the need for fish oil in feeding aquatic life. With the global population projected to burgeon to 11 billion by the end of the century, it is clear that we have to find new ways to feed the world. Yet the question remains: How?
Therein lies the challenge for Alltech's joint research alliance with Kentucky State University, known as the Alltech-KSU Sustainable Farming Alliance. Dr. Karl Dawson, chief scientific officer at Alltech, considers the alliance "a unique approach to meet our research needs" and said it is "quickly becoming a fundamental part of our innovation strategy."
The combined brain trust of Alltech scientists and KSU faculty members is entering a third year of promising studies targeting solutions to the global food crisis through sustainable farming techniques.
"Sustainable," of course, has become a universal buzzword used in everything from urban planning to renewable energy to architecture, and even to lifestyle and work practices. As applied to agriculture, sustainability means the use of farming techniques that protect the environment and meet the needs of the current population without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. At the same time, farmers have to be cognizant of the effects of these processes on the farm itself, which must remain financially and operationally sustainable as well.
How to achieve all that, and what it actually comes down to in practice, depends upon the type of sustainability one is talking about. The Alltech-KSU model takes a multifaceted approach through farming dirt and farming water with studies in agriculture and aquaculture.
The Alltech-KSU alliance's aquaculture studies have focused on reducing, and even eliminating, the need for fish oil in feeding aquatic life. The agriculture studies mainly target soil quality and crop yield.
Among Alltech's 23 global research alliances with universities and institutes around the world, its program with KSU has already made significant strides. With data still being collected from the trials, both agriculture and aquaculture researchers believe they are already seeing treatment effects from the Alltech products, said Drs. Kirk Pomper and James Tidwell, KSU professors who supervised the studies.
Advances in aquaculture
Aquaculture researchers at KSU have conducted major experiments on three types of fish and crustaceans. A report on the most recent study (on Pacific white shrimp), completed in late August 2015, has been accepted for presentation in February at the prestigious World Aquaculture Society 2016 conference.
Vaun Cummins, a senior aquaculture technician at Alltech, said that because there are so many species being grown in aquaculture, "It makes a lot of sense to look at Alltech solutions in as many aquaculture species as possible. KSU has the expertise, facilities and production methods with which to grow a wide variety of species."
"The research alliance with KSU allows us to move closer to sustainable aquaculture practices by looking at different species and finding out what nutrient sources work most efficiently, lessen reliance on marine resources and reduce negative environmental impacts," he added.
The combined expertise of the two partners enables them to together achieve more than either could alone. In terms of the trials, said Tidwell, "Alltech gives KSU access to different…products, as well as (providing) analytical capabilities we don’t have." The university, in turn, gives Alltech the ability to "run replicated feeding trials that they cannot run in their facilities."
