Nofima study links leaner salmon to US$122M in annual feed savings

NORWAY – Salmon bred to deposit less fat and more muscle could improve feed efficiency and save the Norwegian salmon industry around €105 million (US$121 million) annually, according to new research from Nofima. 

The study found that much of the variation in feed efficiency between salmon families is genetic, making the traits suitable for selective breeding.

The research, led by Nofima nutrition researcher Bjarne Hatlen and colleagues, examined how Atlantic salmon use energy and protein from feed. 

Feed is the highest cost in Norwegian salmon farming and accounts for most of its climate footprint, Hatlen said.

The researchers found that salmon that grow quickly while depositing less fat per kilogramme of growth use feed more efficiently. 

Selecting for lower body-fat levels without reducing growth could translate into lower feed intake and an improved feed conversion ratio (FCR).

The study’s economic estimate suggests that reducing the fat content of whole salmon from 21% to 18% could save around €105 million (approximately US$121 million) annually. 

The calculation assumes a feed price of €1.38/kg (approximately US$1.59/kg), annual salmon feed use of 1.5 million tonnes, an initial FCR of 1.05, and that 50% of the reduction in body energy translates into improved feed efficiency.

Potential across the salmon value chain

The study involved 70 groups of fish representing 35 families from Mowi Genetics’ breeding programme.

Starting at around 50g, the fish were raised in small tanks at Nofima’s Sunndalsøra research station and monitored over seven weeks. 

Researchers measured feed intake, growth, and energy and protein retention, then combined the results with genetic data.

The findings could help breeding companies identify feed-efficient fish using simpler measurements, potentially avoiding costly individual feed-intake assessments. 

However, reliable methods to measure body fat in live fish would need to be developed.

For salmon farmers, selecting more feed-efficient genetic lines could reduce feed use per kilogramme of fish produced and lower emissions. 

Feed manufacturers could also use the energy and protein data to develop formulations better suited to different genetic lines.

Matt Baranski, genetics manager at Mowi Genetics, said the results could support more practical ways to select directly for feed efficiency and improve the use of marine feed resources.

The research was conducted through the EU Horizon 2020-funded NewTechAqua project, involving Nofima, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Mowi Genetics. 

The findings were published in Genetics Selection Evolution.

However, the trials involved small fish in controlled freshwater conditions. 

Further research with larger salmon at sea, alongside practical methods for measuring body fat in live breeding candidates, is needed before the approach can be applied commercially.

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