Best and Worst ingredient lists?

[festaedan]

Wardley isn't the only company that has been switching marine proteins, for lower cost grain based alternatives. The reason behind this is pretty basic - cost. Over the past decade the cost of fish meal has risen almost 300%, with this year looking at another forecasted increase of 18%. And that's just one raw ingredient. Eventually something has to give, and either a manufacturer increases their wholesale prices to reflect their increased costs, or they look at ways to lower their cost, such as decreasing the inclusion rate of higher cost raw ingredients (such as fish meal, krill meal, squid meal, etc) and increasing lower cost raw ingredients such as corn, rice, wheat, oats, potatoes, soybeans, etc.

The problem with increasing costs in todays economy is that many consumers will simply seek out lower cost alternatives (many already are) as everyone has a personal breaking point on how much they are going to spend on their pet fish - so often it becomes the lesser of two evils, and the manufacturer opts for lower cost alternative ingredients, such as wheat middlings. Keep in mind that very few manufacturers actually make their own food, so most are at the mercy of what the feed mills charge for their ingredients. Even for those that do actually handle their food from start to finish, they too are at the mercy of the bulk suppliers, those manufacturers simply have better buying power.

http://www.undercurrentnews.com/2013/01/30/fishmeal-prices-up-285-since-2001/

http://www.seafoodsource.com/en/global-aquaculture-issues/23960-


Some manufacturers that are thinking ahead of the curve are already looking at alternatives, or supplements to marine proteins and marine fatty acids by including more natural aquatic plant matter (as compared to terrestrial based grains) such as various forms of algae with protein levels in the 50-60% range, and lipid content in the 15-20% range. (on a dry matter basis) These types of aquatic plant matter offer a better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio than corn, soybean, etc, and are more natural to the digestion system of a fish. IMO this is the way of the future, not boosting cereal levels in a food designed for aquatic organisms. Plenty of research in this area has already been taking place over the years.

http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/ar...cientist-explains-aquacultures-need-for-algae

http://www.algae4feed.org/brief/microalgae-in-feeds/57

http://www.originoil.com/pdf/OriginOil-White-Paper-Algae-As-Aquafeed.pdf

http://en.engormix.com/MA-aquaculture/articles/the-use-algae-fish-t2768/p0.htm



From algae ingredients one can also benefit by also utilizing some of these raw ingredients as binding agents, thereby decreasing more traditional binding agents such as wheat flour. It's a win-win for everyone involved, the manufacturer, the consumer, and most importantly the fish.

That's shoking, I'd rather pay extra for the good food instead of feeding my fish cornstarch and hormones

 

[RD.]

Really, you find that shocking? Same thing applies to most pet foods, including dogs & cats. Numerous manufacturers have been using lower cost grain based raw ingredients in many of their formulas for several decades - actually since the inception of commercial dry food. A LOT of these companies have been around for many years, and they have built up enough brand name recognition over the years where many consumers blindly buy & use their products on name alone. Many of these companies haven't tweaked or improved their formulas in decades, and it shows if one takes the time to take a closer look.

 

[Pole]

now holiday block feeders... those should be illegal.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[administrator]

Not to derail but same thing is happening to the food we eat. Even something as simple as yogurt is cut cornstarch these days.

 

[administrator]

What do you all think of feeding more freeze dried foods like FD krill vs pellets.

 

[RD.]

I guess that depends on the pellets being fed? If one is already feeding a quality pellet product, that contains SA krill as the main ingredient, what would adding even more freeze dried or frozen krill accomplish?

Personally if I was looking to supplement with something, I'd consider live earthworms, or red wigglers, grown by myself. Something with a different amino & fatty acid profile compared to what I am already feeding in the pellet food.