A feed is only as good as its ingredients ? a review of ingredient evaluation strategies for aquaculture feeds

The evaluation of feed ingredients is crucial to nutritional research and feed development for aquaculture species. In evaluating ingredients for use in aquaculture feeds, there are several important knowledge components that should be understood to enable the judicious use of a particular ingredient in feed formulation. This includes information on (1) ingredient digestibilities, (2) ingredient palatability and (3) nutrient utilization and interference. Diet design, feeding strategy, faecal collection method and method of calculation all have important implications on the determination of the digestible value of nutrients from any ingredient. There are several ways in which palatability of ingredients can be…