Philippines: Novel feed ramps up tilapia farmers' profits

The feed – which contains byproducts of ethanol production, rendered animal protein, and processed copra meal – is the brainchild of a scientist at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD). According to a press release from the department, pond trials showed that the new feed performed better than commercially available equivalents. The feed is also cheaper – costing about P28 per kilogram to produce, while the average cost of a commercial feed is about P34 to 36 per kilogram. “We came up with this feed formulation to lower the price of feeds, which account for more than 50 to 60 percent of the total production cost in aquaculture,” said Dr Roger Edward Mamauag, head of SEAFDEC/AQD's technology verification and extension division. Dr Mamauag compared the new formulation with commercial feeds in high-density tilapia pond culture and found it will cost about P1.6 million in commercial feeds to provide for one hectare in a year of ...