The first Global Shrimp Forum that was held in the Netherlands last month was an opportunity for the distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) industry, that of the US in particular, to promote the use of its product as part of efforts to expand its market in the aquaculture sector.
The US Grains Council (USGC) said recently that the global shrimp industry, which at the moment produces five million tonnes a year, needs 7.5 million tonnes of feed. It estimates that at an inclusion rate of 5% this represents a potential DDGS market of 375,000 tonnes.
Recent studies by the organisation have shown that DDGS can be included at up to 15% in shrimp feeds, offering savings of up to 3% in the formulation cost, said USGC aquaculture consultant Ronnie Tan, who was invited to chair the feed and genetics session at the shrimp forum. The yeast and beta-glucans in DDGS could also help boost the immune system of the shrimp, added Tan.
The shrimp conference in the Netherlands gathers more than 400 participants, including shrimp feed companies from the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
