Alltech Ireland, the European headquarters of the world’s leading animal health company Alltech, Inc., held a one-day seminar for European experts and representatives of the major companies and research institutes in the aquaculture industry. The annual European Aquaculture Meeting, which has been organized for the third time discussed the latest developments of this growing industry. The meeting focused on natural solutions aimed at improving health status and performance while at the same time providing positive financial benefit to the industry. Organic mineral nutrition, gut health status and morphology and new molecular tools to investigate gene expression and nutrition featured at the meeting.

Alltech has been at the forefront of natural innovative solutions in global animal nutrition for 25 years and the aquaculture division is one of Alltech’s fastest growing sectors. Bringing together well-known professionals and representatives of the aquaculture industry at Alltech’s European HQ served the aim of introducing the latest developments to the industry of exciting new technological breakthroughs.

Professor Giovanni Bernadini, University of Uninsurbia, Italy described the identification of over 1400 genes in sea bass and through gene expression related these to stress and environmental conditions. The future development of cheap macroarray systems are of great interest to the industry. Professor Santosh Lall,  Institute of Marine Research, Halifax, Canada described the state of the art in fish mineral nutrition and gave a fascinating presentation and actively participated in the conference.

Dr. Simon Davies, University of Plymouth, UK, talked about the role of gut function, prebiotics and mannan oligosacharides that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating improved gut morphology and function and altering microbiota. Conclusive proof of this improvement in gut morphology, at the electron microscopic level, was presented.

Dr. Turid Morkore, Nutrition Group, Akvaforsk, Norway spoke about the dietary impact on flesh quality of farmed Atlantic salmon and described the financial importance of flesh colour, fat content and gaping losses. She reported that early trial results with Alltech’s Salmon Pak, which includes Bio-Mos® and Bioplex minerals, reduced significantly the gaping losses, which are responsible for 38% of salmon fillet rejection at processing.

Silvia Torrecilas Burreil, GIA& ULPGC from Spain showed comprehensive and conclusive results from recent trial work undertaken with Bio-Mos®  and sea bass juveniles, under the direction of Prof. Marisol Izquiredo. These results showed that adding Bio-Mos®, at 2 and 4 kg / ton of feed significantly increased the growth, produced a better SGR and enhanced the immune response. Under challenge test conditions with Vibrio alginolyticus and 4kg/ton of Bio-Mos® inclusion the control fish suffered 30% infection rate while the Bio-Mos® group were free of the pathogen in the head kidney.

“Alltech’s 3rd European Aquaculture Meeting was truly a success.” - said John Sweetman, European Technical Manager, Alltech. “Alltech has clear idea of how the company can contribute with its products to  better performance and thus higher profit for the aquaculture industry players.” 

“Products such as Bio-Mos®, Bioplexes®, Sel-Plex® and Mycosorb® have shown great results in the aqua dietary.” – said Timm Neelsen, European Aquaculture Coordinator, Alltech. Mr. Neelsen explained the importance of numerous independent trials and underlined Alltech’s commitment to this sector.

The following speakers also gave presentations during the event:

Dan Fegan, President WAS & Technical Manager Aquaculture – Asia, Thailand: Alltech’s aquaculture research and development activities: a global overview.