BioMar Chile shared 2021 Atlantic salmon production results showing an improvement in the production results on the farms feed with BioMar feeds in the past five years.
“If we look at the data of the past five years on the ten farms that have produced the best conversion factors with BioMar feeds, the result is positive and in line with our promise of value. Between 2017 and 2021, we have contributed to a 5% reduction in the average value of FCRb, with an increase in harvest weight of 4%,” explained Michael Adler, commercial manager of BioMar. Although this weight is determined by the commercial strategy of each client, “at BioMar, we have a growth projection model for each center that enters the grow-out stage and we see a constant increase above expectations. For example, for freshly harvested fish in the ten centers with the best results, biomass growth was 20% higher than what was harvested five years ago,” Adler said.
According to Adler, this growth can be attributed to three factors: a great job in each cultivation center with more skilled farmers, the great support provided by the BioFarm and BioFarm Health team, and the quality of BioMar feed with diets that are increasingly in tune with new challenges.
Blumar and Cermaq led in different regions
Chaullin Norte is Cermaq’s center with the best indicator in Los Lagos Region, with an FCRb of 1.03 and an average harvest weight of 6.45 kilos.
“The results obtained at the Chaullin Norte and Tranqui 2 centers are, without a doubt, the result of great teamwork between all areas of the company. This work has been carried out for two years, improving the quality of the smolts and implementing a sanitary and operational strategy. Likewise, the feeding strategy is clear and defined in all the centers, where our main focus is fish and feed. It is important to note that both centers are located in Chiloé, with various challenges in terms of health, but thanks to the good work led by the heads of the center Osvaldo Díaz (Chaullin Norte), Marcelo Baquedano (Tranqui 2), and their collaborators, the centers they went ahead with excellent productive results,” said Patricio Daza, seawater production manager, Salares, at Cermaq.
In the southernmost regions, Blumar takes the credits with the Chivato I in the Aysén Region, and Pérez de Arce in the Magallanes Region, with an FCRb of 0.99 and 1.06, and harvest weights of 5.95 and 4.91 kilos, respectively. The results are even more relevant since Chivato I had to overcome the challenges of starting its cycle in a full bloom of algae “where the use of functional diets was decisive to improve the gill health,” said Gabriel Jerez, production manager de Blumar.
Regarding feed, Jerez said that it is one of the most relevant pillars in this management. “Proof of this is that our production indicators have improved sustainably season after season, thanks to the high quality of the feed delivered in terms of physical quality and energy efficiency achieved through the technical development of BioMar, keeping the focus on optimizing the feed delivery,” said Jerez, highlighting that there are still opportunities for improvement in factors such as growth, where the quality of the smolt and the sanitary strategy are key elements.
“What makes us very happy this year is that the excellent results are not just from a couple of companies, but five clients, with various feeding strategies whose common factor is BioMar feed,” said Adler.
BioMar Farmer of the Year will be awarded in March.
