soybean field

USSEC Sees Success in Promoting Soy-based Aqua Feed in China

USSEC recently conducted a series of feeding demonstrations on grass carp density for the first time in Shanxi province, China. Three density trials with soy-based feed were conducted at the Yongji Municipal Fish Stock Farm to evaluate fish growth performance and feed conversion ratio. The grass carp feed contained 53.1 percent soy products, including 46.5 percent soy meal, 6 percent soy hulls and 0.6 percent soy oil. The demonstration yielded fish growth and production performance –the grass carp grew from 75 g to 1,000 g in 190 days.Over the last three years, fish farmers in the region had limited knowledge of extruded soy-based feed, which prompted USSEC to conduct several technical seminars to promote pond aquaculture technology with soy-based extruded feed. During production season, many farmers visited the demonstration ponds to observe growth performance. Yuncheng Municipal Fisheries Extension Center concluded that the total consumption of extruded soy-based feed increased from zero to more than 700 metric tons in 2012, which increases opportunities for U.S. soy-based fish feeds in the region.

Local fishery officials and USSEC staff on the grass carp demonstration site during a recent inventory harvest.