Indian Researchers Develop Poultry Feed From Dried Tuna

The Indian government-run ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute recently introduced poultry feed made from smoked and dried tuna, manufactured in the Lakshadweep Islands, off the South Indian coast. According to the Institute, the product, called DweepMAS-Poultry Feed, is a sustainable alternative to the conventional soybean meal, which is commonly used as food for poultry.

Indian news sites reported that DweepMAS-Poultry Feed has a high protein content (70 percent), similar to soy, and nutrients that has been designed to support various poultry growth stages. It also reduces the feed cost by 30 percent. The developers claimed that this new type of tuna origin feed could play a pivotal role in enhancing the self-sustainability of farming across the Lakshadweep Islands, minimizing reliance on imported feed components, and strengthening the local agricultural economy. Over the years, experts have pointed out how soy production carries significant environmental disadvantages, primarily due to widespread deforestation, high carbon emissions, soil degradation, and water pollution. Whereas, fishing for tuna and producing byproducts from the fish has less environmental impacts.