Skretting looks to precision nutrition for environmental gain

“Traditionally, aquaculture feeds have been based on crude protein, and later, on digestible protein,” explained May Helen Holme, innovation director for salmon at Skretting. “With AmiNova, we evaluate the total amino acid levels ingested by fish, eliminating unnecessary excess and meeting nutritional needs with greater precision and efficiency.”

Unused amino acids in fish feed typically end up as discharge in the water. By using AmiNova, Skretting aims to minimize waste and enhance fish health and growth, contributing to a more sustainable aquaculture industry.

'At Skretting we have a long history of groundbreaking innovation. Concepts like MicroBalance, N3 and FLX allowed us to reduce the dependency on fish oil and fish meal in our feed formulations. We have also launched Infinity, a salmon feed completely free of marine raw materials. Once ingredient flexibility was achieved, it was natural to focus on precision nutrition to reduce emissions.' - Alex Obach, innovation director, Skretting. 

Trial work​

Developing AmiNova was challenging, particularly in understanding nutrient utilization and retention in fish. “The formulation concept has been used for other farmed species like poultry, but not for aquatic animals,” said Holme. “Accurate nutritional insights for fish are more complex than for land animals. We conducted multiple growth trials over several years with salmon and trout to gather reliable data on raw material composition, amino acid availability, and nutritional needs at various life stages.”

The findings from these trials, combined with Skretting’s internal knowledge and data from scientific literature, enabled the development of this precise formulation, she told FeedNavigator.

AmiNova has been validated under commercial conditions with select customers to ensure health and performance are maintained.

"The primary goal of AmiNova is to reduce environmental footprint and minimize nutrient discharge without compromising fish performance or welfare," said Holme.

In trials, metrics such as growth, feed conversion rates, pigmentation effects, body composition at different life stages, and nutrient retention were monitored. The trials documented up to a 25% reduction in nitrogen discharge, demonstrating the feed's efficiency and environmental benefits, she continued.

The company said AmiNova-formulated feed will be available in the Chilean salmonid market in the coming months, with more species and countries to follow.

AmiNova has been tested in trout diets in the Mediterranean region. In shrimp, research and development work continues, added Holme.