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We often see that our customers and partners have the same questions when it comes to krill and our products. This article explains the most common questions our European operations get and the focus is largely on marine fish and how QRILL Aqua can impact their diet. Keep reading to find out how Aker BioMarine answers its most common European inquiries.
1. When should I use QRILL Aqua for marine fish? And what are the main benefits?
Aker BioMarine: Early life stages of marine fish are more vulnerable with high mortality issues, which is why they need good quality marine ingredients to increase their survival, robustness, and disease resistance. Krill meal contains a high amount of phospholipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as EPA and DHA, sterols (mainly cholesterol) and astaxanthin esters that contribute to the health and well-being of the fish.
- For Broodstock feed, we see that egg composition and spawning quality of marine fish (such as gilthead sea bream) is directly affected by adding PUFAs to the diet.
- For the transfer stage krill meal is shown to help increase the palatability of the feed, leading to greater feed intake and reduced stress.
- For the Finishing diet, the benefits of krill meal can lead to an increased yield, enhancement of the physical properties of the slaughter fish and a better fillet quality.
2. What amount of QRILL Aqua should I incorporate in the marine fish diet?
Aker BioMarine: The answer to this depends on the fish species, life stage, other ingredients in the feed formulation, as well as what’s expected from krill. Typically, we recommend between 1% to 12% QRILL added to the feed. Here are some general recommendations:
- Early stages 1.5-6%
- Growing diet with 3-6% for marine fish, 6-10% for salmonids
- Functional feed about 6-12% (for 6-10 weeks or finishing diet), including broodstock feed
- Transfer feed 5%-10%
3. Can QRILL Aqua treat diseases of marine fish?
Aker BioMarine: Krill is not a medicine to cure diseases. It is a high-quality marine ingredient which is why it is used in the functional feeds to enhance the robustness and immune health of marine fish. By adding QRILL in the diet, farmers can prevent disease to a large extent, as exhibited in a recent study looking into krill’s impact on the disease resistance of olive flounder.
4. Can QRILL Aqua reduce stress for marine fish?
AKBM: There are challenging conditions for marine fish, such as during transfer phase, in addition to the added threat of diseases. This results in high levels of stress in the fish. Krill is shown to enhance the robustness and immune health of fish, which enables the animal to better cope stressful conditions.
5. Can QRILL Aqua contribute to a reduced CO2 footprint in feed formulation for marine fish?
Aker BioMarine: In the last ten years, Aker BioMarine has halved its CO2 emissions per ton of krill produced. The ambition is to cut this in half again within the next 10 years. The company also embraces the smart use of data to drive technological innovation across multiple industries, working across the entire value chain, with the belief that technology can help reduce emissions on board vessels, in processing plants and within the logistics operations. Recently a new report, Shades of green, stated:” The company’s products sold to the aquaculture sector have climate-mitigating and environmental benefits because they can replace fish meal and soy associated with deforestation.” You can read more here.
Download out fish booklet to learn more about science on krill for fish:
