July 16, 2008
 

Stirling's inhibitor effective against fatal fish disease

Stirling's Provale, a feed additive that boosts animals' immune system is found to effectively inhibit a parasite that affects salmon and trout.

ProVale, developed by Stirling Products Ltd, works by boosting the fish's immune system against the Loma Microsporidial Gill Disease, or Loma salomae, an incurable disease that affects farmed fish.

Although there are currently no treatments or vaccines for the disease, the use of ProVale was found to be more effective in preventing the onset of the disease than other unlicensed products, said Dr. Nicole Guselle, whose study was conducted on rainbow trout.

Stirling in a statement said the company is in discussions to license and distribute ProVale.

Global aquaculture is growing at a rate of 8.8 percent per year and over 60 million tonnes of fish are produced yearly, of which salmon accounts for about two per cent. Even so, salmon still represents over 1.4 million tonnes, or $US5.4 billion of the market, Stirling said.

Loma salomae is regarded as one of the most economically damaging diseases in farmed Pacific and Chinook salmon.

Last year, Australia-based animal healthcare company Stirling Products Ltd began selling ProVale to shrimp farmers after successful trials. Additionally, the product is also in use in swine and poultry populations in the US.