November 14, 2024

Onda expands aquaculture research with new shrimp facility in Brazil

Onda, a Canadian aquatic contract research organisation, has opened a satellite location in Brazil to expand its services to include research on whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

This development marks a significant collaboration with a Brazilian aquaculture facility and represents a major step forward in advancing sustainable shrimp farming research worldwide.

The shrimp aquaculture sector is the fastest-growing segment in the industry and a key contributor to the blue economy. Onda's move to establish trials in Brazil responds to market demand for innovative testing and evaluation of whiteleg shrimp.

The trials aim to assess critical performance metrics such as hatch success, growth rate, feed efficiency, survival rate, and disease resistance. The goal is to develop more resilient shrimp stocks and promote sustainable practices to address the rising global demand for seafood and enhance food security.

By collaborating with an external facility in Brazil, Onda combines its aquaculture research expertise with the infrastructure of its partner. This partnership enables Onda to conduct trials on species that are difficult to import into Canada, while maintaining the quality and reliability its clients expect. Through this arrangement, Onda ensures that its customizable shrimp research trials and proprietary trial models remain available to clients, even as the company explores new species.

Initially, Onda's focus at the Brazilian facility will be on nutrition research. The first phase of trials will explore growth, digestibility, and palatability by evaluating various feed formulations and ingredients. These studies are designed to help clients improve shrimp survival rates, reduce the environmental impact of shrimp farming, and increase profitability for aquaculture operators. Plans are already in place to expand into health-related trials at the new location soon.

"After many years of development and securing reliable supply, we are very excited to expand our services in health and nutrition to include shrimp, the largest category by production in aquaculture," said Myrna Gillis, CEO of Onda.

-      AquaFeed