In the spotlight
Dr. Wendy Rauw, Researcher at Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
What is your contribution to the FISHBOOST project?
In FISHBOOST I am working on Work Package 2 “Production efficiency”. In this work package we aim at searching for ways to improve feed efficiency in finfish species through genetic selection.
Feed efficiency is the amount of product (meat production in fish, or growth) obtained per unit of feed input. It is a very important trait in production of all livestock animals because of several reasons. First, it accounts for over 50% of the production expenses, therefore, economic returns increase when animals produce more product on less feed. Secondly, both production of feed ingredient inputs and manure outputs put a strain on the environment, such that improvement of feed efficiency will improve sustainability of animal production. Thirdly, the amount of environmental resources to produce feed ingredients is limited, and a more sustainable way of resource use is necessary if we are to feed the growing human population without compromising future generations.
In order to genetically improve feed efficiency we need to be able to measure feed efficiency either directly by recording individual feed intake and production (growth), or use a good indirect proxy measure thereof that can be measured on live animals. In Spain, INIA in Madrid and CETGA in Galicia have performed a feed efficiency experiment with turbot, a highly-valued scaleless carnivorous flatfish that is naturally distributed in European sea waters. The results are analyzed in cooperation with the Natural Resources Institute in Jokioinen (Luke), Finland.
What fascinates you in this project?
I have worked for 20 years with feed efficiency in terrestrial livestock animals, particularly in pigs. In those livestock species, feed intake can be measured individually by keeping animals individually in pens, or by special feeders that record feed intake individually using systems that recognize individual animals living in groups. However, in fish this is a big challenge because they are grown in groups in water tanks, and so far feed intake cannot be measured easily individually in a way that is commercially feasible. This means that new methods have to be investigated. In our experiment we are investigating the possibility to use measures of feed efficiency of groups of fish instead. This is only useful for genetic selection if the group consists of family members and selection is based on families instead of on individuals. Selection of families based on group-means is particularly interesting for economically important traits that are not easily measured individually. Results of our study, using a random regression model to estimate components of variation attributed to families, show that detectable variation in growth and feed efficiency exist between families of turbot, which suggests that a genetic component exists and that it is possible to select for these traits.
What is your contribution to the FISHBOOST project?
In FISHBOOST I am working on Work Package 2 “Production efficiency”. In this work package we aim at searching for ways to improve feed efficiency in finfish species through genetic selection.
Feed efficiency is the amount of product (meat production in fish, or growth) obtained per unit of feed input. It is a very important trait in production of all livestock animals because of several reasons. First, it accounts for over 50% of the production expenses, therefore, economic returns increase when animals produce more product on less feed. Secondly, both production of feed ingredient inputs and manure outputs put a strain on the environment, such that improvement of feed efficiency will improve sustainability of animal production. Thirdly, the amount of environmental resources to produce feed ingredients is limited, and a more sustainable way of resource use is necessary if we are to feed the growing human population without compromising future generations.
In order to genetically improve feed efficiency we need to be able to measure feed efficiency either directly by recording individual feed intake and production (growth), or use a good indirect proxy measure thereof that can be measured on live animals. In Spain, INIA in Madrid and CETGA in Galicia have performed a feed efficiency experiment with turbot, a highly-valued scaleless carnivorous flatfish that is naturally distributed in European sea waters. The results are analyzed in cooperation with the Natural Resources Institute in Jokioinen (Luke), Finland.
What fascinates you in this project?
I have worked for 20 years with feed efficiency in terrestrial livestock animals, particularly in pigs. In those livestock species, feed intake can be measured individually by keeping animals individually in pens, or by special feeders that record feed intake individually using systems that recognize individual animals living in groups. However, in fish this is a big challenge because they are grown in groups in water tanks, and so far feed intake cannot be measured easily individually in a way that is commercially feasible. This means that new methods have to be investigated. In our experiment we are investigating the possibility to use measures of feed efficiency of groups of fish instead. This is only useful for genetic selection if the group consists of family members and selection is based on families instead of on individuals. Selection of families based on group-means is particularly interesting for economically important traits that are not easily measured individually. Results of our study, using a random regression model to estimate components of variation attributed to families, show that detectable variation in growth and feed efficiency exist between families of turbot, which suggests that a genetic component exists and that it is possible to select for these traits.
What are your expectations?
Today, only a small part of the global aquaculture production is based on genetically improved stocks. In our research we expect to develop a method to record between-family variation in feed efficiency in fish that can be used to genetically improve feed efficiency in fish species. This may improve both the economic efficiency of production and sustainability of aquaculture. Because relatively little is known about feed efficiency in fish compared to research available in terrestrial livestock species, this field can be further expanded in the future, including investigating the physiological background of improvement in feed efficiency, and the relationship between feed efficiency, production traits, and fish behavior and welfare.
