Transforming feed into biomass gain is a process that starts in the digestive system of the animal. As such, its health status and functionality correlate directly with the economic results of the farmer. The aquatic environment is rich in microorganism (up to 10⁵ to 10⁶ per ml), with hosts and microorganisms sharing the same ecosystem. Aquatic farmed animals, more so than terrestrial animals, are surrounded by an environment that supports their pathogens independently of the host, and as such pathogen levels and densities around the animal are much higher.

Surrounding bacteria are continuously ingested either with the feed or when the host is drinking, causing a natural interaction between the microbiota of the ambient environment and the gut environment. If the bacterial challenge exceeds a certain level, the health of the animal is in danger, as the animal alone cannot defend itself sufficiently.

There is today a greater understanding of the importance of intestinal microbiota in fish, compared with a decade or more ago. Floral health is a new concept, which underlines the importance of the microbiota to the intestinal health and performance of aquatic species. As a result, there is increasing evidence that the complex microbial ecology of the intestinal tract provides both nutritional benefits and protection against pathogens, and this is vital in modulating interactions with the environment and the development of beneficial immune responses.

AquaStar^® is BIOMIN’s probiotic product designed to improve the gut and water environment in shrimp and fish production. Composed of several strains of beneficial bacteria, AquaStar^® is produced using single cell fermentation to assure quality and high CFU count. These bacterial cultures will modify the microbial communities in the water and gut of the larvae, reduce or eliminate pathogenic microorganisms, and generally improve the growth and survival of animals.

Biomin^® P.E.P. is a synergistic combination of essential oils and prebiotics that can improve feed efficiency through an enhanced gut function and structure that allows for better digestion and nutrient absorption.

Digestarom^® is a specifically formulated palatant to support digestion and feed efficiency. In the Digestarom^® product portfolio, BIOMIN provides species-specific phytogenic solutions, as well as multiple-species solutions (Digestarom^® P.E.P. line) in order to meet the needs of our customers in the best possible way.

The Biotronic^® range of products is a combination of organic acids and their salts that are commonly used to modulate the gut microflora of intensively farmed animals. This is achieved by causing a shift in the dominance hierarchies of bacteria through the lysis of gram-negative bacteria.

Biotronic^® Top3 is a natural growth promoter that effectively combats pathogenic bacteria to improve weight gain and feed conversion, thanks to the proven synergistic effects of three ingredients – a blend of organic acids, a phytochemical and the Per4izer^®.

Levabon^® Aquagrow is a functional and nutritional ingredient for application in aquaculture feeds. Levabon^® Aquagrow is prepared by an internal process technology, using a standardized autolytic degradation of the yeast cell from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) and spray drying. This yeast product is rich in bioactive ingredients and nutrients such as essential amino acids, peptides, cell wall carbohydrates, nucleotides and B vitamins.

The pond environment is a complex system of inter-linking processes. Maintaining the balance of critical parameters is a fundamental requirement for successful aquaculture.

Intensive aquaculture farming produces large amounts of organic wastes even in a single crop. Much of these organic waste materials accumulate in the pond and cannot be utilized by the phytoplankton through photosynthesis. Oxidation of these organic waste compounds depletes the dissolved oxygen deep in bottom soils of shrimp and fish ponds, resulting in toxic metabolites such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia, and nitrite which are the key culprits for high mortality rates in aqua farming.

Among the latest attempts at improving water quality in aquaculture is the application of beneficial microorganisms and biodegrading bacteria and/or enzymes to the ponds. This type of biotechnology, known as “bioremediation”, involves the manipulation of micro-organisms in ponds to reduce pathogenic bacteria, enhanced mineralization of organic matter and removal of undesirable waste compounds.

Using its expertise in microbiology, BIOMIN has developed effective bioremediation solutions to improve the pond environment (AquaStar^® Pond and AquaStar^® PondZyme). The positive microbial action behind this probiotic mixture include the competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria, the elimination of toxic materials such as ammonia, nitrite, and hydrogen sulfide, and the degradation of unconsumed feed. Instead of leaving this to the spontaneous primary colonization of the rearing water by bacteria that is accidentally present, the water is pre-emptively colonized by the addition of beneficial bacteria well adapted to prevailing environmental conditions. Water quality and pond environment is improved as these strains work in harmony with the existing biomass, increasing overall efficiency and hastening the elimination of ammonia and nitrites.

Preservation of feed raw materials throughout the storage time can curb mould growth and reduce the occurrence of storage mycotoxins. BIOMIN’s range of organic acids is produced specifically for this purpose – to contain the development of mould and bacterial contaminants of feed materials throughout the storage period, improving their nutritional value for aquatic species.

A range of premixes, developed by BIOMIN’s in-house research and development team for the aquaculture industry, are available along with expert nutritional strategies on correct feeding techniques. In addition, BIOMIN also offers the option of high quality premixes formulated according to each producer’s unique conditions, where necessary. Direct technical support ensures that all nutritional requirements are accurately met, for maximizing the performance and benefits of aquatic species.