GreenSage Prebiotics in Canada has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of their prebiotic solution, Pretego, in improving feed conversion ratio (FCR) and survival rates in farmed shrimp.

A Game-Changer for Shrimp Production

The company’s product, extracted from coconuts, works by creating a molecular decoy that binds to pathogens, allowing them to be cleared from the body before they can cause infection. In a six-week feeding study followed by an early mortality syndrome (EMS) challenge with ShrimpVet in Vietnam, Pretego showed significant improvements in FCR, growth rate, and final biomass yield.

Moreover, the study found that shrimp supplemented with Pretego had a 70% survival rate, compared to only 24% for unsupplemented shrimp. With Pretego, shrimp farmers can improve their bottom line by reducing mortality rates and increasing biomass at harvest.

A Refundable Investment

While including Pretego in the diet may increase feed costs by 3-5%, farmers can recoup between USD 10 and 25 for every dollar spent on feed due to improved FCR, reduced mortality, and increased biomass. As the company’s CEO, Brad Saville, puts it, “See how it works in your facility and you will see the financial benefits.”

Pretego will be available for farmers to trial in October, with GreenSage Prebiotics expecting early adopters to be shrimp farmers in Southeast Asia and Ecuador. The company is also exploring opportunities to use Pretego in other species, including salmon.

As Saville notes, “Ecuador is not currently experiencing the acute disease challenges that Southeast Asia has, so for Ecuador the big driver could be the improvement in FCR.” Meanwhile, trials have shown promising results in salmon production, with potential applications in Chile and other countries.