This study was funded by AQUAEXCEL3.0, under the TNA program. The study demonstrates that krill meal can improve nutrient utilization, optimize feed efficiency, and boost resilience against oxidative stress, contributing to a more effective aquafeed.
The study reveals that including krill meal in the diet significantly enhances fish health and stress tolerance, particularly during crowding challenges. This aligns with previous aquafeed trials with krill meal, reinforcing the ingredient’s potential to drive both sustainability and efficiency in the aquaculture industry.
Gilthead Seabream (S. aurata) is a highly valued species for aquaculture. However, crowded farming conditions often lead to oxidative stress, which affects fish health and growth. While traditional fish meal has been the cornerstone of aquafeeds, its fluctuating supply and cost are driving a greater need for more sustainable alternatives.
“QRILL Aqua krill meal is rich source of essential nutrients, including phospholipids and omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for the health and growth of marine species like Gilthead Seabream. This study shows that krill meal inclusion can enhance the robustness of fish, especially under stressful conditions. This helps farmers achieve better fish performance while contributing to more sustainable operations,” says Kiranpreet Kaur, Director of R&D Aquaculture, Aker QRILL Company.
The 12-week trial, plus a seven-day crowding stress test, assessed the effects of varying krill meal levels (3%, 5%, and 7%) on growth, nutrient utilization, and oxidative stress responses during a stress challenge. The research team discovered that krill meal could replace up to 47% fish meal in the diet, effectively maintaining growth performance while optimizing feed conversion ratio with higher lipid and protein efficiency ratios in Gilthead Seabream. Fish fed diets containing 5% and 7% krill meal also showed increased omega-3 levels in their red blood cells, supporting better resilience to crowding-induced oxidative stress. Although a similar trend was observed with the 3% KM showing a higher omega-3 index, the effect was more pronounced with the 5% and 7% KM.
“One of the standout findings of this study is how krill meal helps to sustain omega-3 index levels during and after a stress challenge and is associated with lower expression of antioxidant defense genes after stress, improving fish resilience under stressful conditions. This finding highlights the role of krill meal as a functional ingredient for maintaining fish health and welfare under typical farming conditions,” says Silvia Torrecillas, PhD, Institute of Agrofood Reseach and Technology (IRTA, Spain)
Based on the findings of this feed trial, researchers recommend including 5%-7% krill meal in gilthead sea bream diets to maximize nutrient utilization and support fish health during critical growth phases. By partially replacing fish meal with krill meal, aquaculture producers can enhance performance and improve FCR while contributing to more sustainable feed practices.