2022
Implementing integrated approaches to select for feed efficient rainbow trout families to enhance the soy protein utilization in salmonid aquaculture
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Soy Aquaculture Alliance
Category:
Export/Trade
Keywords:
Aquaculture
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Vikas Kumar, University of Idaho
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
44206
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Soy Aquaculture Alliance
$96,434
Institution Funded:
University of Idaho
$96,434
Brief Project Summary:

Aquaculture provides sustainable production of food fish with high protein/low-saturated fat to satisfy increasing demand. Globally, efficient and environmentally sustainable aquaculture production systems are urgently required. Over two decades of selective breeding, our research resulted in development of a rainbow trout strain that grows as well on an all-plant protein diet as on a fishmeal-based diet, and grows much faster than non-selected trout. Feed accounts for over 60% of the cost of aquaculture production. To date, no commercial breeding programs have selected for improved feed utilization efficiency in fish, mainly because of the difficulty in accurately measuring individual feed...

Unique Keywords:
#aquaculture
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

We anticipate the completion of the project genetic selection will improve feed efficiency by 10-15% per generation which means plant protein consumption will increase and greatly decrease the cost of trout production (Objective #1). We envisage selecting the most feed efficient trout families by measuring the metabolic rate (Objective #3). We expect each individual fish microbiome can be linked to detailed individual-level phenotypes of growth, feed efficiency, and nutrient turnover, as measured using stable-isotope profiling. Ultimately it will demonstrate an association between the microbial composition in the distal gut and a key aspect of trout metabolism. This association could be a direct effect of microbes contributing to improved nutrient availability and absorption for the host (Objectives # 2 and 4). Overall, genetic improvement increases farm profit, either via cost reduction per unit product, increased production output, or a combination of both. Improving nutrient efficiency would also have a positive effect on the environmental impact of fish farming. The outcomes will contribute to start the genetic improvement program by producing brood stock of rainbow trout with the traits of best SBMD utilization efficiency, which is good news for the aquaculture industry including the fish farmers, and feed industry especially the soybean producer.

Final Project Results

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.