ADDCONs double-salt technology on Potassium-di-formate (KDF) triggers high interest at the Shrimp Farmers Day in Thailand

From February 12 to 13, 2011 the Thai Shrimp Farmers Day was held in Surat Thani, Southern Thailand, where ADDCON presented its double-salt-technology based growth promoting products for the aquaculture industry in a newly designed booth. The strongly growing company proudly presented latest results of research, in which the White Leg Shrimp (L. vannamei) grew significantly better once receiving ADDDCONs growth promoter (Potassium-di-formate, KDF) included into shrimp diets compared to control shrimps.

In a 10 week scientific aquaria experiment, 2.4±0.1 g (n=540) white leg shrimp were stocked as control and two treatment groups. Shrimps were fed with a commercial diet containing 0.2% and 0.5% KDF (treatments B and C) to satiation, while diets for the control group (treatment A) did not contain KDF.

Results show an improved growth performance, feed conversion and productivity index of shrimps having received KDF containing diets compared to those fed on the control diet (Table 1). Individual body mass of KDF fed shrimps reached 11.8 g (B and C) compared to control group (11.0 g, A), thereby significantly (P<0.05) increasing the final body mass by 7.2% (B) and 7.4% (C) compared to the control group.

Table 3: Growth performance of white leg shrimp fed with different KDF concentrations incorporated into the compound feed

Total weight gain of 9.4g was higher for shrimps fed diets with KDF (B and C) compared to the control group (8.6g, A) leading to a 9% higher weight gain. Specific growth rate of 2.26% (B) and 2.25% (C) was higher compared to control shrimps (2.16%, A) resulting in 4.4% and 4.0% increase for KDF fed white leg shrimp. Survival rate was 6% higher in 0.5% KDF fed shrimps (C) only compared to treatments A and B, while FCR was 7% lower for shrimps fed on KDF including diets.

The shrimp productivity index of the simulated shrimp grow-out increased significantly (P<0.05) to 3.8% (B) and 19.5% (C) due to KDF inclusion compared to shrimp fed on a control diet.

As laboratory trials are conducted in a rather controlled clean environment, higher effects of KDF are anticipated under natural pond conditions due to various pathogens provoking heavy mortalities and financial losses during farming operation. Thus, using dietary KDF inclusion in compound shrimp feeds pose a promising alternative in modern shrimp nutrition to improve white leg shrimp grow-out operation in ponds.

 "Here, we have a gem introduced to our industry, which will strongly help farmers decreasing environmental disease-outbreaks, such as the white feces disease", representatives from Thai feed mills underpinned.

The ADDCON booth attracted the Deputy Prime Minister of Security of Thailand, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban spending several minutes with Sommart Lohmah, ADDCONs Marketing Assistant, in following his product presentation. Further, more than 100 delegates from Thai feed mills, like Asean Feeds, Lee Pattana Feed Mill, Cargill, Thai Luxe and others so as experts from country-leading shrimp farms visited the ADDCON booth during the show.

"The annually held shrimp farmer's day is the ideal fair to get in touch with the farmers and Thai feed mills for promoting ADDCONs growth promoters in collaboration with the Thai agricultural feed and aquaculture industry", summarized Dr. Kai-J. Kühlmann, Application Marketing Manager of ADDCON Asia Co. Ltd.

Figure 1: Deputy Prime Minister of Security of Thailand, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban with exhibitors of the ADDCON Asia Co. Ltd. during the Shrimp Farmers Day in Surat Thani, Thailand



Figure 2: Colleagues and friends from Vita Nutrition and Asean Feeds Group at the ADDCON booth




Figure 3: The President of the Thai Shrimp Farmers Association, Mr. Suraphol Pratuengtham, receives ADDCONs latest research on L. vannamei