Feed makers need to look at krill

There is one natural resource in which there is such abundance of biomass, it literally staggers the imagination. Depending on which source and methodology is used to estimate the amount, there is somewhere between 125 million to 1800 million tons (1.8 billion) of krill in the ocean, though most seem to agree on an amount of around 400-500 million tons. Still, no matter which figure you use, this still makes krill today the most successful single species organism in the world.

Aker BioMarine’s brand name Qrill™ has become recognized in the aquaculture industry for being the leader in krill meal and krill oil products for feed markets. The protein quality is high – at least 56 percent – it is rich in marine phospholipids and omega-3 fatty acids and it contains significant levels of the antioxidant and pigment astaxanthin.
In shrimp feed trials undertaken in Brazil, it was found that krill meal – which contains 25 percent krill oil – offered numerous advantages over conventional fishmeal-based feed. Economic advantages were revealed when growth performance was maintained with krill meal costing less than the anchovy fishmeal. Additionally, separate trials showed consumers preferred shrimp fed on krill.

Aker BioMarine Vice President Sigve Nordrum explained that for commercial purposes the addition of Qrill™ Antarctic krill meal alone will provide krill oil as well as the nutrient input from krill meal. “Qrill™ Antarctic krill meal contains 25% krill oil, thus a feed with 10% krill meal will have 2.5% oil. Because of the refinement process, pure krill oil costs more and is best reserved for larval diets where the benefits justify the investment,” he said.

SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL AQUA FEED March/April 2011