FEATURE

Alternatives to achieve the sustainability challenge

in shrimp production:

Sodium Butyrate
by Alvaro Ortiz, Aquaculture Product Manager, Norel SA, Spain

lthough aquaculture is always

referred to as the future solution
to feed the nine billion people
estimated in world population by
2050, there are still many complications to
overcome.

half of the last year in the international shrimp

market increased by five to six percent compared with the same time period in 2013. In
terms of farmed shrimp production, positive
trends have been posted so far in Ecuador,
Indonesia, Vietnam and India.

Shrimp production plays a key role

in aquaculture. Diseases such as Acute
Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome
(AHPNS) and related outbreaks recently
reported in India, together with raw material prices volatility are two major problems
that need prompt solutions if we do not
want to succumb achieving the sustainability
challenge.
Despite this, the outlook is positive.
Although China, Mexico and Thailand are
reporting lower productions than forecasted
for 2014, the volume traded during the first

Forecast in India

The official forecast in India suggests that

farmed shrimp production, dominated by
Vannamei, may increase by 10 to 20 percent during the current fiscal year (April
2014-March 2015), and Brazil farmed shrimp
production is expected to grow 18 percent
(Intrafish, and FAO Globefish).
Pathologies are going to be present
throughout this year and fish meal/oil prices
are not going to help to create an idyllic
scenario; in early December 2014, IMARPE
confirmed its recommendation after a second

Table 1: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for each pathogen

Pathogen
V. anguillarum

Species

Butiric

Propionic

Valerianic

Salmonids

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

33.3 mM

V. vulnificus

Shrimp

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

33.3 mM

V. harveyi

Shrimp

22.2 mM

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

V. parahaemolyticus

Shrimp

22.2 mM

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

V. alginolyticus

Shrimp

22.2 mM

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

A. hydrophila

Tropical

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

33.3 mM

Tropical

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

33.3 mM

Salmonids

22.2 mM

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

Tropical

22.2 mM

22.2 mM

33.3 mM

Salmonids

33.3 mM

33.3 mM

50 mM

A. caviae
A. salmonicida
F. columnare
Y. ruckeri

12 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | May-June 2015

survey that there should be no quota issued

for the second fishing season.
Antibiotics growth promoters, AGPs are
under surveillance because of suspicions they
create resistance to pathologic bacteria creating superbugs causing 25,000 deaths per
year in Europe, 38,000 deaths in Thailand
and 23,000 deaths per year in the EEUU. The
overall impact cost is estimated to be US$
35 billion in the EEUU (sources: ECDC 2007,
Pumart et al 2012, US CDC 2013)
To overcome all these challenges, a
new generation of additives is being thoroughly studied: the natural growth promoters (NGPs). Also termed non-antibiotic
growth promoters, NGPs are feed additives contemplating different categories as
salts of organic acids, probiotics, prebiotics,
phytogenic or yeast. In addition to the beneficial effects in terms of health status and
performance, NGPs supplementation does
not usually bear any risk regarding bacterial resistance or undesired residues in the
edible fish product.
Several publications have addressed the
effects of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and
their salts on the health and performance of
fish. These SCFA are commonly known by
their specific antimicrobial activity. However
the effects of SCFA go beyond modification
of gut microflora. Other benefits such as:
improved digestive enzyme activity, increased
pancreatic secretion, enhanced development of
intestinal epithelium and intestinal barrier integrity, or anti-inflammatory properties (Glfi and
Bokori 1990; Le Gall et al. 2009), have been
described and attributed to likely causes of

FEATURE
V. parahaemolyticus, microorganism suspect
of causing AHPNS.

In another study

enhanced performance, particularly when supplementing butyric acid in its sodium salt form.
Butyric acid is naturally produced and
present within the intestine of both carnivores and herbivores fish (Holben et al.
2002; Mountfort 2002). It is very well known
how the anti-inflammatory effect of butyric
acid can prevent the presence of enteritis in
salmon when part of the dietary fishmeal is
substituted by soybean meal. This additive
could therefore be useful to help reducing the
diet costs when fishmeal prices or availability
become unpractical, facilitating a higher inclu-

sion of vegetable raw materials, by means of

increasing their digestibility and counteracting
anti-nutritional effects.
Regarding its pathogen inhibition capabilities, in a recent study conducted by Katsetsart
University (Thailand) and Norel S.A. different
compounds were tested to assess its inhibition and bactericidal activity against marine
shrimp pathogenic bacteria.
Gustor Aqua (Sodium Butyrate) was tested in this study against V. parahaemolyticus.
A strong inhibitory effect was found for
Gustor Aqua both at pH=5 and pH=6 against

In another study, butyric acid was compared against the most common SCFA exhibiting a greater inhibition capacity (University
of Santiago and Norel SA), less quantity of
butyric was needed to inhibit the same concentration of pathogens.
Knowing that sodium butyrate might be
of great help in the important shrimp farming
industry, Norel wanted to test the additive
on-the-field and a trial was conducted in a
commercial shrimp farm in Honduras.
Gustor Aqua (protected sodium butyrate)
was tested to determine the effect of the
additive in performance parameters. The initial density was around 31 shrimp/m2. Ponds
supplemented with Gustor Aqua completed
the fattening period with 35 percent more
biomass, the final yield (kg/ha) in those ponds
was 26 percent higher. Feed conversion ratio
was also influenced by adding the additive,
being 2,033 in the control ponds and 1,590
in the sodium butyrate supplemented group.
Gustor Aqua positively influenced animals
performance and in addition, their health
status is boosted as the higher survival rate
reflects. The combination of both variables
yields better economic results.
www.norel.es

Gustor Aqua

A powerful non-medicated growth promoter

Antimicrobial activity

Immunological properties:

Trophic effect on intestinal epithelium

Anti-inflammatory
Reinforce of the intestinal defence barrier

Improves performance

Providing proficient tools to achieve cost-effective and sustainable aquaculture practices

T. +34 91 501 40 41 info@norel.net www.norel.net

May-June 2015 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | 13