Introduction
It is increasingly recognised that long chain Omega-3 fatty acids EPA & DHA are essential for optimal shrimp health, performance and final product quality. However, the progressive reduction of marine ingredients in aquafeeds has decreased the natural supply of these fatty acids. This research focuses on understanding how restoring the levels of dietary EPA & DHA can support shrimp robustness, production efficiencies, nutritional value and environmental impact, enabling the sustainable growth of the industry.
Method
Two different shrimp trials were conducted to define the optimum EPA & DHA dietary levels to maximize growth, robustness, and nutritional quality. In the first trial (IMAQUA, Belgium) a control diet (0.4 % EPA & DHA) was compared to two diets (1% HB and 1% HA) formulated with a blend of fish oil and algae oil, or algae oil alone, respectively. At the end of the experimental feeding (56 days) shrimp growth, resistance to Vibrio paraheaemolyticus (which causes Early Mortality Syndrome (EMA) in shrimp) immune parameters, salinity stress resistance, and muscle fatty acid profiles were assessed. A second trial (SPAROS, Portugal) evaluated the benefits of graded dietary EPA & DHA levels (0.4 - 1.7%) on growth performance, nutrient utilization, stress resilience and tissue fatty acid composition using algae oil in fully fish oil-free diets. The environmental impact of increasing dietary EPA & DHA was modelled using SustellTM, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) platform for calculating the environmental footprint of both the feed and the shrimp.
Results
The studies confirmed that dietary levels of 1% EPA & DHA were consistently associated with improvements across key production metrics: shrimp receiving 1% EPA & DHA levels demonstrated improved survival and robustness (up to 23%), reflecting an enhanced health status under biological and environmental challenge conditions. Growth performance (up to 22%) and feed efficiency (up to 10%) were also positively affected, contributing to improved production efficiencies. The improved survival was modelled in SustellTM, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint of up to 15%. Importantly, increasing dietary inclusion from 0.4% to 1% EPA & DHA resulted in a doubling of the deposition in the edible muscle, enhancing the nutritional quality and value of the final product for human consumption.
Conclusions
These findings highlight the need to optimise EPA & DHA nutrition in modern shrimp farming.
Improvements in health and survival directly support animal welfare, improving biological performance, enhancing productivity and increasing economic results.
Better zootechnical performance contribute to a lower environmental footprint through more efficient use of resources.
Increasing EPA & DHA levels in shrimp diets increased the nutritional value of farmed shrimp as a source of longchain Omega-3s and may create new market opportunities for producers.
Renewable, scalable sources of EPA & DHA offer a pathway to secure these benefits without relying on limited marine ingredients, while supporting the sustainable growth of the shrimp aquaculture sector.