Least cost diets are for suckers – economic formulations for 2020

For too long the focus of diet manufacture has been “least cost formulation” and while this is a function of saving money at the point of the biggest single cost to the farmer, there is a clear danger of least cost formulating off the edge of “the risk cliff”.  With the volatility of the fishmeal and oil markets, currency fluctuations and the issue of sustainability, there has never been a time where feed company formulators have been under so much pressure to hit the sweet spot of lowest cost feed and highest production of fish or shrimp.  It is too easy to be tempted into using lower specification raw materials and adjusting formulations to meet commercial expectations, but case studies will show that current diets can meet all the above considerations and actually improve growth, FCR and above all health of farmed fish and shrimp, while bad decisions can cost you dearly.

Dr. Richard Smullen, Technical Manager, Ridley AgriProducts Pty. Ltd., Australia

Dr Richard Smullen obtained his PhD from the Gatty Marine Laboratory, St Andrews Scotland and started his Post doctoral studies at the Institute of Aquaculture in 1994 where he continued his work on eyestalk neuropeptides in shrimp and lectured on the Aquaculture MSc course. After leaving the academic environment Richard worked for BioMar as the Technical and Product Development Manager and since 2003 he has been the Technical Manager at Ridley Aqua-Feeds in Brisbane, Australia.  He also currently manages the R&D portfolio for Ridley managing feed and farm trials for shrimp, barramundi, kingfish, salmon and tuna.