What’s important for senior dogs and cats?

• Weight management
• Joint health
• Eye health
• Brain health
• Overall wellness and comfort

Common challenges

• Lack of activity, leading to overweight or obese pets
• Common diseases, such as cataracts, diabetes and arthritis
• Metabolic changes
• Cognitive decline

Tips for optimizing the golden years of senior pets

• Be stringent about sticking to your pet’s preventative care routine. Your senior dog or cat should be seen regularly by your veterinarian and monitored for any changes.
• Encourage as much exercise as possible. Maintaining lean muscle mass is critical for aging pets, so while you don’t want to overdo, it is important to establish an exercise routine and do your best to stick with it.
• Feed pre- and probiotics. As pets age, their digestive ability decreases. These gut-supportive nutrients can help maximize digestive function and immunity.
• Choose a nutrition program with higher protein levels but reduced calories and that is specifically formulated for senior pets. Research has shown that higher protein-to-calorie ratios may be beneficial for older dogs and cats.  

What’s important for adult dogs and cats?

• Complete preventative care
• Weight management
• Proper digestive health

Common challenges

• Maintaining a healthy body condition
• Overall nutritional concerns about providing adequate nutrients to support brain, eye, heart and joint health
• Skin and coat conditions, including food allergies, dry or itchy skin, hot spots, etc.
• Supporting a balanced microbiome

Tips for maximizing health and performance

• Choose a dog or cat food that matches the activity level of your pet. Animals that are more physically active will likely require food with higher levels of protein and fat.
• Do not overfeed your pet! Read the label on the back of the dog or cat food bag and feed it according to the manufacturer recommendations. Doing this will ensure that your pet receives the proper levels of micronutrients without consuming excessive calories. Remember, especially at the maintenance stage, the stomachs of adult dogs and cats are relatively small and do not require as much food as you may think.
• Choose dog or cat foods made with 100% organic trace minerals and selenium, which work to promote eye, joint, brain and heart health. The health processes that minerals are involved in can also aid in keeping your pet’s skin and coat in good condition.
• Provide high-quality pre- and probiotics made for dogs and cats to promote a healthy microbiome throughout your pet’s lifetime.

What’s important for active dogs and cats?

• Proper energy balance
• Supporting joint and heart health
• Stress management
• Gut health and immunity

Common challenges

• Meeting protein requirements without excessive calorie consumption
• Preventing joint health issues, such as hip dysplasia and arthritis
• Ensuring that nutrient requirements are met in order to protect the heart
• Minimizing stress so as to protect the delicate gut microbiome

Tips for maximizing health and performance

• Working and active dogs often require higher levels of protein, and it is important to remember that while dogs’ calorie needs decrease with age, their protein requirements tend to increase. Work with your veterinarian to decide which food will best meet your dog’s specific needs.
• Provide antioxidants in the form of high-quality nutrients to help protect your dog’s joints and heart health and to maximize recovery.
• Ensure that a constant supply of fresh, clean water is always available.
• Aim to feed your active or working dog at least an hour after activity to minimize digestive upset and the potential for diarrhea.

What’s important for puppies and kittens?

• Immune system protection and development
• Musculoskeletal support
• Meeting their protein needs
• Brain development, which includes proper socialization and exposure to stimuli

Common challenges

• Parasite management
• Digestive upset
• Compromised immunity
• Offering the appropriate nutrition
• Behavioral and house training

Tips for successful growth and development

• Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations. This is a critical time to be hyperaware of your veterinarian’s recommendations about vaccination schedules, deworming (if necessary) and nutrition. Your growing pet’s needs during this time are heightened, so it’s important to follow the recommended schedules in order to set up your dog or cat for lifelong success.   
• Socialize carefully. Weeks 4 through 12 of an animal’s life are important for proper socialization but also coincide with the period of time known as the “immunity gap,” when animals often stop drinking their mother’s milk but have not yet developed a mature immune system. This puts them at a heightened risk for contracting potentially serious illnesses through environmental exposure, such as parvovirus. It is best to consult with your veterinarian on when it will be safe for your pet to meet other pets, go for walks and/or attend obedience classes.
• Provide adequate protein and nutrients to support growth. The protein needs of baby animals are especially high during the first six months of their lives. It is very important to offer a high-quality puppy or kitten food and to remember that large-breed puppies have especially unique dietary needs. Pro- and prebiotics are also crucial for immune system development.

What are mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are substances that are produced by molds or fungi. Some common mycotoxins that may appear in pet food include aflatoxin, fumonisin, vomitoxin, ochratoxin and zearalenone. Unfortunately, mycotoxins are very stable and often survive heat and other processing steps in pet food production.

While there are stringent policies in place at both the governmental and manufacturing levels regarding mycotoxins, they can be very tricky to monitor, and sometimes, despite these regulations, the presence of mycotoxins in food is inevitable.

How can I protect my pet from mycotoxins?

The ingredients at the highest risk for containing mycotoxins in pet food are grains, such as corn and wheat, but mycotoxins can be found in grain-free ingredients as well, so every pet food carries some level of risk.

While there are pros and cons to both grain-based and grain-free pet food diets, the best advice we can offer is to thoroughly research the pet food you choose for your dogs and cats. If the food appears or smells suspicious, do not feed it to your pets, and alert the manufacturer immediately.  

Pets experiencing mycotoxin poisoning may present with:

• Vomiting and loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• A weakened immune system
• Respiratory illnesses
• Tremors
• Heart palpitations
• Jaundice

Mitigating the mycotoxin risk in pet food

Protecting your pets from mycotoxins is accomplished most effectively by following a holistic management plan. Using mycotoxin-binding feed additives can be beneficial for any pet food diet, and services such as Alltech’s 37+ and RAPIREAD testing can help to ensure that your pets’ diet is safe from contamination.

What happens to our pets’ brains as they age?

Just like humans, aging pets face physiological changes that can affect their cognition, metabolism and more. And just like with humans, more and more research suggests that supporting cognitive function early in life will help prevent age-related changes to the brain.

Aging pet brains are confronted with gene expression changes that can affect how abnormal proteins are handled, the amount of tissue present and even the rate at which new neural pathways are formed.

The good news is that preventing age-related cognitive decline is possible with the appropriate nutrients and in the right environment.

What nutrients can help promote your pets’ brain health?

The first class of nutrients to be aware of is antioxidants. More than just a buzzword, antioxidant supplementation can be extremely crucial, especially for older pets, as the body’s ability to deal with damaging free radicals decreases with age.

One of nature’s most powerful antioxidants comes in the form of a trace mineral: selenium. Research suggests that organic selenium can reduce the beta amyloid burden (i.e., abnormal proteins in the brain), minimize DNA oxidation and assist in preventing age-related neuropathologies associated with cognitive decline.

Secondly, omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that assist in supporting brain health.

Finally, specific functional nutrients — like amino acids and B vitamins — may be able to help increase blood flow to the brain and play a role in overall cognitive development and function.

Pets experiencing age-related cognitive decline may present with:

• Confusion or disorientation
• Separation anxiety or “clingy” behavior
• New fears, phobias or aggressive behavior
• Increased incidences of soiling/relieving themselves in the house
• Making loud or abnormal noises or “talking” more than normal
• New destructive or compulsive behaviors
• Sleep disturbances

3 steps for supporting your pet’s brain health

1. Choose quality nutrition from the start. Read feed labels and look for added ingredients in your pet’s food, such as 100% organic selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Manage your dog’s and/or cat’s weight. Scientists are beginning to find links between cognition and obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for dogs and cats for many reasons — brain health included.
3. Provide environmental stimulation. Promote your dog’s and/or cat’s mental flexibility by enhancing their daily routines and environment. For dogs, this could mean a new exercise routine or pattern, and for cats, this could look like new toys or habitat additions. Continually introducing pets to a healthy amount of new stimuli helps increase neural pathway formation and keeps their brains young.   

Las personas interpretan la sostenibilidad de diferentes maneras, por ello, este tema puede generar imprecisiones y divisiones a la hora de abordarlo. A diferencia de otras industrias, el sector agroalimentario tiene la ventaja única de ofrecer soluciones en lo que respecta a reducir las emisiones y apoyar la biodiversidad en nuestros propios entornos.

La alimentación animal es clave para una producción de ganado de leche y de carne rentable y eficiente. Por lo tanto, los productores de alimento balanceado tienen un papel crucial en la forma en que reducen su impacto ambiental –asociado con el sistema alimentario–.    

Fortalecer los eslabones de nuestra cadena de suministro

El Covid-19 ha hecho que se ponga en relieve la necesidad de contar con sistemas alimentarios resilientes. Por lo que tenemos que tener en cuenta que la capacidad de producción de alimento balanceado está directamente relacionada con la cantidad de alimentos disponibles para el consumo humano y, de hecho, con la seguridad alimentaria en general. En este sentido, la experiencia de Alltech en 128 países nos muestra que una cadena de suministro de alimento balanceado sostenible y eficiente, es importante tanto para la producción animal a pequeña escala, como para algunas de las integraciones más grandes del mundo.

Un reto creciente para la industria de la alimentación animal es la disputa por las fuentes alimentarias que también están destinadas para el consumo humano. Esto representa un desafío a la inclusión de aditivos para mejorar la eficiencia del rumen y a la búsqueda de ingredientes que solo los rumiantes pueden utilizar. La alimentación animal sostenible ya se está poniendo en práctica y un ejemplo único es la red de 8 laboratorios Alltech IFM™  (modelo de fermentación in vitro, por sus siglas en inglés) en todo el mundo. A través de esta tecnología se puede determinar con mayor precisión la eficiencia de la dieta y las posibilidades para reducir las emisiones y mejorar la rentabilidad de los productores. 

¿Cómo se puede verificar una alimentación sostenible?

Ya no basta solo con afirmar que se cuenta con un sistema de producción animal o con una dieta que tienen una baja huella de carbono. Ahora esto debe estar respaldado por datos repetibles, medibles y verificables. Por lo que la división de Alltech dedicada a prestar asesorías ambientales para mejorar la eficiencia, la rentabilidad y la sostenibilidad de diversos clientes –Alltech E-CO2– ha desarrollado el modelo Feeds EA™; que ayuda a los fabricantes de alimento balanceado y a los ganaderos de todo el mundo a medir y reducir la huella de carbono de sus raciones.

Feeds EA™ mide el impacto ambiental de la producción de alimento balanceado en las plantas de fabricación, mediante la evaluación de los efectos que los distintos ingredientes o mezclas tienen. Esto se determina a través del cálculo de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero provenientes de la producción, cultivo, procesamiento, energía utilizada y transporte; que acontecen durante la elaboración del alimento balanceado. Feeds EA™ puede calcular estas emisiones desde una base de datos de más de 300 ingredientes (entre ellos: materias primas, productos derivados de la soya, subproductos o aditivos).

Asimismo, al reducir el desperdicio de alimentos a través de propuestas como la agricultura circular, nuestra industria puede confiar en la capacidad de nuestros sistemas de producción de alimentos para adoptar una utilización más eficiente de los recursos. Esto se observa en prácticas como la suplementación con subproductos para los rumiantes o en cerrar los ciclos de los nutrientes. Al reducir la pérdida y el desperdicio de alimentos en nuestros sistemas de producción animal –de manera verificable– podemos seguir promoviendo con sustento las soluciones sostenibles que ofrece nuestro sector para mitigar el cambio climático.

Reducir los residuos

En los últimos metaanálisis de ganado de leche (Salami  et al., 2021) y de ganado de carne (Salami  et al., 2020), realizados por Alltech, se ha demostrado que la agricultura de precisión y su aplicación a la nutrición animal reduce el impacto ambiental; gracias a una mejor utilización de nitrógeno en los sistemas de producción de rumiantes.

Así, la inclusión de Optigen® en las dietas del ganado de leche ha demostrado que:

• Optimiza la eficiencia en la utilización de nitrógeno en un 4%, debido a una mayor captura de nitrógeno en el rumen.
• De esta manera se reduce la excreción de nitrógeno en las heces de 12 a 13 g de nitrógeno/vaca/día.

Este dato indica, por ejemplo, que una suplementación con Optigen® podría reducir la excreción anual de nitrógeno en las heces de todas las vacas lecheras de los Estados Unidos en un promedio de 51 509 toneladas métricas de nitrógeno, en función de su producción anual de leche.

En resumen, este enfoque busca proporcionar “la cantidad adecuada de nitrógeno, en el momento preciso y en el lugar correcto”; para ayudar a reducir los residuos de las lecherías. Los resultados de este metaanálisis de ganado de leche también mostraron que la inclusión de Optigen® en las dietas de estos animales, dio como resultado una disminución de las emisiones de dióxido de carbono de alrededor 54 g de CO2-eq/kg de leche. Si esto lo extrapolamos a la producción anual de leche de toda Alemania, por ejemplo, sería equivalente a una reducción de las emisiones de carbono de 1.8 millones de toneladas métricas de CO2-eq. Esta disminución de CO₂ representa el 16% de la meta total de reducción que el gobierno alemán se ha puesto para el año 2030 en el ítem de agricultura.

Un análisis de simulación –basado en los resultados de este metaanálisis– indicó que suministrar Optigen® a 1 000 vacas lecheras podría:

• Aumentar los ingresos sobre los costos de alimentación en US$ 18 000.
• Reducir la huella de carbono del rebaño en 647 toneladas métricas de CO2-eq. Esta reducción de las emisiones de CO2 equivale a que haya 424 automóviles menos en las calles y al consumo de electricidad de 436 casas.

Por otro lado, el metaanálisis de ganado de carne destacó cómo el reemplazo parcial de la proteína vegetal por Optigen® dio como resultado una mejora consistente en la ganancia de peso vivo y en la eficiencia alimenticia. Entre los muchos efectos positivos se observó una ganancia de peso vivo promedio mayor (8%) y una mejor eficiencia de la alimentación (8%) –con la inclusión de ensilaje de maíz, lo que potencia los efectos de Optigen®–.

Un análisis de simulación –basado en estos beneficios– indicó que suministrar Optigen® a 1 000 cabezas de ganado para ganar 200 kilos hizo que:

• Se redujera el tiempo para sacrificio en 9 días.
• Se disminuyeran los costos de alimentación en US$ 18 000.
• La huella de carbono de mil cabezas de ganado de carne se redujera en 111.5 toneladas de CO2-eq. Esta reducción de las emisiones de CO2 equivale a que haya 73 automóviles menos en las calles y al consumo de electricidad de 75 casas.

La sostenibilidad no tiene que tener un costo

Mitigar el impacto ambiental de la alimentación animal no supone una reducción de los ingresos para los actores involucrados en el sistema alimentario. Desde las lecherías en los Estados Unidos hasta los 300 millones de vacas lecheras repartidas principalmente en pequeñas explotaciones de la India, Alltech conoce de primera mano cómo las soluciones sostenibles se han convertido en un aspecto “no negociable” en la nutrición animal.

Como es lógico, una producción rentable marca esta perspectiva –y dado que la alimentación animal representa, por lo general, el costo variable más importante en la producción animal; existe también la responsabilidad empresarial de garantizar que mitiguemos la pérdida y el desperdicio de los alimentos–.

La fabricación del alimento balanceado ha sido humildemente la base del sistema alimentario que ha permitido el crecimiento de la población mundial en los últimos 150 años. Ha llegado el momento de reconocer esta contribución única –que también involucra buscar e implantar tecnologías que reduzcan el impacto ambiental de los alimentos de origen animal y apoyan la economía circular–.

Teniendo en cuenta que los esfuerzos de sostenibilidad deben comprender tanto lo ambiental como lo económico, lo invitamos a leer también nuestro artículo relacionado “6 consejos para ajustar el suministro de proteína en la producción de ganado bovino”.

Joint health for dogs and cats

Bones and joints endure constant wear and tear due to activities such as running and jumping. Over time, this can cause problems, making it harder for pets to keep up quite like they used to.

Generally, dogs do not show signs of joint pain and discomfort until an issue has been prevalent for some time. This is especially important to keep in mind with elderly dogs and those with genetic predispositions towards hip and joint problems, such as retrievers, shepherds and most other large breeds. Others, like corgis and dachshunds, are predisposed to spinal issues due to their elongated torsos.

Whether you have a Siamese cat or a Great Dane, pets are tough on their joints. Thanks to their aptitude for running around outside, climbing stairs and leaping across furniture, over time, pets’ joints can become worn and damaged.

As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Taking a preventative approach to joint health and providing your dog or cat with a daily pet joint supplement can help to protect their joints in the long term and give them more quality years to run, play and enjoy life!

How can nutrition support your pet’s joint health?

What many pet joint supplements fail to mention is that trace minerals are the building blocks of different components of joints, such as the bone, cartilage and collagen. For example:

• Zinc has been shown to have a stimulatory effect on bone formation and an inhibitory effect on bone resorption, thereby increasing bone mass.
• Copper is a co-factor of the enzyme lysyl-oxidase, which is necessary for the development and cross-linking of collagen.
• Iron is a co-factor of the enzymes prolyl- and lysyl-hydroxylases, which are important in the synthesis of collagen.
• Selenium helps improve long-term joint health and is also thought to help prevent hip dysplasia.
• Manganese is a co-factor in the formation and elongation of the glycosaminoglycan chain, which forms the basal substance of the cartilage model.

Signs of pet joint problems

• Inability or reluctance to move, go up or down stairs or get into the car
• Lethargy
• Decreased willingness to exercise or play
• Stiffness and/or limping
• Swollen joints
• Excessive licking of painful areas

Supporting your pet’s joint health

Prevent joint disease in your pet by taking these steps:

1. Prioritize proper nutrition and manage their weight. As per usual, providing the proper nutrition is the number-one act of preventative care you can take for your pet’s joint health! Feeding high-quality foods — in the proper amount — is imperative. Overfeeding, especially over the long term, can lead to joint pain in cats and dogs.  
2. Exercise appropriately. Keep your pet exercising before joint problems occur! Exercise helps with weight management, and the appropriate amount of exercise increases blood circulation and “pumps” the joints with beneficial nutrients. Don’t overdo it, but definitely make it a daily priority.
3. Check out your environment. If you can offer choices for your pet that are less concussive to the joints, do it! This could include a ramp to get into the car, stairs to get on the bed, etc. You can also provide them with orthopedic pet beds to increase their daily comfort levels. Minimizing behaviors that create excessive repetitive stress to the joints could prevent future joint problems.

The immune system is crucial to overall pet health

A pet’s first line of defense against disease is its immune system. The immune system is a network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to defend the body against infectious organisms, such as viruses, fungi and bacteria.

To maintain a properly functioning and effective immune system, optimal nutrition is required. Using nutritional solutions that can help strengthen the immune system and support its development, its functions and any associated cells can help modulate the immune response against specific pathogens or foreign invaders.

What are immunonutrients?

Immunonutrients are part of a newer field of study called immunonutrition, which studies the link between nutrition, immunity and the inflammatory response. Immunonutrients can help strengthen your pet’s immune system to increase their disease resistance and overall health.

A few examples of immunonutrients in pet food include nucleotides, amino acids, trace minerals and even gut-supportive compounds, such as pro- and prebiotics.

What can immunonutrients help my pet with?

• Nucleotides can assist in the healthy growth and development of puppies and kittens.
• Amino acids are required for building strong tissues, from your dog’s nails, skin and coat to your cat’s eyes and heart health.  
• Although they make up only a small percentage of your pet’s overall diet, trace minerals play a role in virtually every system in the body. Zinc and copper help maintain ideal skin and coat condition, as well as immune health. Selenium is considered nature’s powerhouse antioxidant, while manganese enhances important cells involved in the immune response.  
• Probiotics and prebiotics promote a healthy gut microbiome. Since a minimum of 80% of the immune system resides in the digestive tract, nutrients that reinforce the function of the intestinal lining help prevent disease.

Signs of a weakened immune system in pets

• Lethargy
• Skin infections or lesions
• Poor coat and skin condition
• Low appetite
• Prone to infections
• Overall weakness
• Diarrhea

Optimizing your pet’s immune system

Utilize the following tips to keep your dog or cat feeling their best:

• Feed them the best food possible. Hippocrates famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” — and this statement doesn’t just apply to people! Choosing high-quality nutrition is the number-one thing you can do to help improve your pet’s overall health. Consult a veterinarian if you have questions about choosing the best food for your pet.
• Encourage exercise and play. It’s important to remember that our domestic pets evolved from wild ancestors and that many dogs were bred with a working purpose — meaning they were born to be active! Whatever your housing situation, be creative with toys, habitats, etc., and get your pet out for walks as often as possible — even cats can be leash-trained and may enjoy exploring the outdoors.  
• Supplement your pets with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants as appropriate. Certain nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, organic selenium and others, provide additional benefits for your pet, including decreased inflammation and improved immune responses. Read your feed labels and choose feeds that already contain these nutrients or supplement them as appropriate.  
• Keep your pet on a regular vaccination and parasite management program. An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure! Use flea/tick/heartworm treatment regularly and keep your pets up to date on vaccinations throughout their entire lives. Check with your veterinarian for any regional treatments that may be necessary.

Why is addressing digestive issues critical for pets?

Pet nutrition and diets are deeply connected to the composition and diversity of the microbiome, which, in turn, plays a significant role in the proper function of the digestive tracts and immune systems of dogs and cats, ultimately affecting their overall health and well-being.

The microbiome is more than just a “hot topic” in scientific research. Every living organism — including humans and pets — have all kinds of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa) living both on and within their bodies. These microorganisms live together as communities, and the collection of their genomes is known as the microbiome. Microbiomes are unique to certain habitats, such as the skin, lungs and gut, and can be crucial for pet immune health.

The digestive process in pets begins immediately

The process of digestion begins when your pet picks up food and starts chewing. Enzymes that are found in saliva begin breaking down the food chemically. The process continues with swallowing, the additional breakdown of food in the stomach, the absorption of nutrients in the intestines, and the elimination of waste. Digestion is critical, not only for providing nutrients, but also for maintaining the proper balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body.

Are digestive issues connected to weight management in pets?

In short, yes. Research has shown that the diet affects each individual person’s digestive system, and the same is true for your pets! The composition and diversity of gut bacteria will change based on the diet. For example, if the diet is high in carbohydrates, gut bacteria that favor carbohydrates will be found at higher levels.
Interestingly, research has also shown that, because bacteria play such a major role in energy metabolism, the microbiomes of lean dogs and obese dogs differ dramatically. The link between the digestive system and weight management in pets may be worth considering, especially with the rising pet obesity epidemic. While more scientific research is warranted, protecting your pet’s gut health may be a proactive step to take in terms of weight management.

Common signs of digestive problems in pets

• Diarrhea or constipation
• Vomiting
• Reduced appetite
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Abdominal bloating
• Lethargy and/or depression
• Decreased willingness or desire to play, walk, etc.

Preventing digestive problems in dogs and cats

Utilize the tips below to help keep your pet’s digestive system in top shape:

• Resist the urge to feed them table scraps. Even though your pets are part of your family, they do not need to eat as such. In fact, this habit could be detrimental to their gut health. Feed them only pet food, specific to their species, and fight the urge to feed them from your plate.
• Avoid overfeeding. With pet obesity quickly becoming a global issue — just as it is with humans — it is important to remember that food is not love. Overfeeding can lead to many issues, from digestive upset to increased pressure on joints and systemic inflammation. Feed according to the label on your pet’s food, and monitor their body condition to make adjustments as needed.
• Decrease stress. Changes in their environment, diet or routine can be stressful for your pet. Sometimes, change is inevitable, but do your best to stick to a normal schedule as much as possible to keep your pet’s gut functioning optimally. When you know that a stressful situation may be on the horizon, use gut-supportive nutrients in advance of the event to minimize any digestive risk or microbiome imbalance.

Aquaculture, in contrast with capture fisheries, has remained stable over the last few decades. The industry continues to grow and contribute to the increasing food supply for human consumption, reaching worldwide production of 80 million metric tons (Mt) in 2016. To sustain its growth, the aquaculture industry is highly dependent on commercial feed sources. The inclusion rate of traditionally used finite and expensive marine protein and fat sources from wild-caught fish (i.e., fishmeal and fish oil) in the diets of farm-raised fish species will continue to decline, and the industry has already shifted to crop-based raw materials to meet the rising demand for aquafeeds.

Fish require several carefully chosen raw materials to provide them with a healthy diet, but fish-based proteins are not essential. The industry has recognized this, and there are now many fish feeds with 0% fish-based protein ingredients and an industry average (FIFO Factor). Plant-based feed ingredients increasingly replace marine-based components, and therefore, an enhanced level of understanding of the nutritional quality of raw materials derived from plant sources is becoming increasingly crucial for aquafeeds. Moreover, the higher inclusion of less-expensive plant sources may introduce a series of anti-nutritional factors (e.g., protease inhibitors, phytates, saponins, glucosinolates, tannins, non-starch polysaccharides) and/or increase the occurrence of mycotoxins in fish feed; factors that may affect the quality and safety of aquafeeds.

Mycotoxins in aquaculture feed

Mycotoxins are fungi that can grow on crops during growth, harvest, processing or storage. The development of these fungi is climate-dependent and most commonly seen in tropical regions. In these climates, the fungi produce chemical compounds known as mycotoxins and can have a greater impact on animal health.

Fish farming is a diverse industry, and each aquaculture species will have different sensitivities to the impacts of mycotoxins. These can cause a reduction in performance — reduced growth and increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) — and increased disease susceptibility and mortality rates. As these issues can be attributed to other concerns, the risk can often be overlooked and underestimated in aquaculture.

Mycotoxins are mainly detected in plant-based feedstuffs, readily present in corn, wheat and soybean meal. Increasingly, the occurrence of mycotoxins has been reported in aquafeeds. There are over 50 different types of mycotoxins, but the most commonly known and most prevalent is deoxynivalenol (DON).

Effects of deoxynivalenol on the health and growth of farmed fish species

Accumulation of DON in fish can be harmful and impact their performance. In terms of occurrence and toxicity, DON has been characterized as the most high-risk mycotoxin in aquafeeds. Its effects include:

1. Ribotoxic stress response: DON binds to ribosomes, inducing a “ribotoxic stress response” that activates mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs).

2. Oxidative stress: DON causes oxidative stress in cells by damaging mitochondria function, either through the excessive release of free radicals — including reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce lipid peroxidation — or by decreasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.

3. Impacting epithelial cells in the digestive tract: Predominantly, rapidly proliferating cells with a high protein turnover, such as immune cells, hepatocytes and epithelial cells of the digestive tract, are affected by DON.

4. Reduced growth rate: In Atlantic salmon diets, 3.7 mg/kg of DON resulted in a 20% reduction in feed intake, an 18% increase in FCR and a 31% reduction in specific growth rate. In white shrimp, DON levels of 0.5 and 1.0 ppm in the diet significantly reduced body weight and growth rate, while FCR and survival were not affected.

5. Decreased immune system response: Mycotoxins impair optimum animal performance by affecting intestinal, organ and immune systems. These, in turn, negatively impact overall performance and profitability.

6. Reduced feed intake: A study conducted by Woodward et al. (1983) showed that rainbow trout had a sharp taste acuity for DON. Their feed intake declined as the concentration of DON increased from 1–13 ppm of the diet, resulting in reduced growth and feed efficiency

The impacts will vary on many factors, including the quantity, feeding level, duration of exposure and aquatic species. A recent meta-analysis completed by Koletsi et al. (2021) highlights the risk of DON on feed intake and growth performance. In parallel, data was collected to quantify the risk of exposure in fish. The extent to which DON affects feed intake and growth performance was evaluated by employing a meta-analytical approach.

Having completed a full meta-analysis of the current research and trial data available for the aquaculture species, Koletsi et al. concluded that the current recommendation for the limit of DON in fish diets is too high and needs to be reviewed in order to protect the welfare of fish and maintain an economic advantage.

Preventing mycotoxins in aquaculture

Maintaining a good management system will help to control the mycotoxin risk. However, some mycotoxins remain stable, even after high-temperature extrusion processing. For this reason, additional steps should be taken to mitigate the risk. Alltech mycotoxin management tools, such as Alltech 37+® and Alltech® RAPIREAD, help farmers and feed producers identify their total mycotoxin risk (REQ). Evaluating risks associated with mycotoxins on animal performance and financial losses can be more rapid than ever before. Additionally, to further manage mycotoxin risk and understand what you can do for your business, you can visit knowmycotoxins.com.

References available on request.

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