17 results

Preliminary evaluation of electro stunning technology for farmed Barramundi

Project number: 2021-051
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $21,123.00
Principal Investigator: Brian Paterson
Organisation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Brisbane
Project start/end date: 11 Nov 2021 - 28 Feb 2022
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES

Need

The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) called for an EOI via FRDC for a proposal to evaluate alternative humane harvest methods for farmed barramundi. Specifically, the ABFA identified electro-stunning as a technology of interest to further optimise animal welfare outcomes, while maintaining product quality. The association needs all available information reviewed to evaluate the technology’s potential and if recommended, to help shape the direction of future R&D into the suitability of electro-stunning for the barramundi industry. As a precursor to possible on-farm trials, the ABFA wants to better understand the nature of the technology and learn from international experience in other fish culture sectors. This full proposal addresses the ABFA’s desire for greater insight into; (a) consumer’s attitudes towards fish harvesting and slaughter; (b) the state of uptake of similar technologies by other aquaculture sectors; (c) how to adapt electro-stunning efficiently into a harvest process for a range of barramundi farm sites; (d) whether local or overseas manufacturers/agents can be engaged to co-fund tests of equipment on-farm; and (e) what requirements must be met to make that testing possible and how it would be conducted.
Approval of the EOI was subject to the full application addressing the need for the literature review to include any work on methodology for establishing product quality indicators in addition to welfare indicators (Condition 9).

Objectives

1. Information about electro-stunning in fish aquaculture (reports, publications, websites, media) found using broad and selective web-searching as well as via on-line databases and then compiled/prioritised into an organised electronic library. The other objectives are addressed from this starting point.
2. Identify declared attitudes and expectations of consumers, leading retailers, and animal welfare groups concerning electro-stunning of farmed fish
3. Identify farmed fish sectors using electro-stunning for slaughter or other purposes and the known pros and cons of integrating it into their operations (including demonstrated cost-benefit, and welfare and product quality outcomes).
4. Describe the principle/specifications of electro-stunning and its relevance to different barramundi producers for slaughter and other uses and the desired end points including the methods required to measure product quality and welfare indicators).
5. Shortlist equipment to be tested/adapted on farms and consider IP and partnering/co-funding options
6. Recommend the next steps and a possible structure for a proposal to ABFA that demonstrates the efficacy of the equipment

Minor use permit for praziquantel for non-Seriola finfish

Project number: 2021-029
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $75,000.00
Principal Investigator: Marty R. Deveney
Organisation: University of Adelaide
Project start/end date: 29 May 2022 - 29 Jun 2022
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Ectoparasite infections are major production limiting issues in aquaculture. The only products permitted for use in Australia against ectoparasites of finfish are formalin, sodium percarbonate and hydrogen peroxide. These products can have negative effects on fish gills and skin and result in direct mortality when elevated chemical dose or duration of exposure are sub-optimal or improperly calculated. Against some flatworm parasites formalin, sodium percarbonate and hydrogen peroxide have low efficacy. Praziquantel (PZQ) immersion treatments have been found to be both safe and efficacious for current fish flatworms applications, at a low dosage and duration of exposure, with a lesser or equivalent environmental impact. The aquaculture industry and the Subcommittee for Aquatic Animal Health identified access to PZQ for finfinfish as a priority. Treatment forms a vital part of parasite management in aquaculture along with husbandry practices designed to interrupt parasite lifecycles. Appropriate use of PZQ can help alleviate reduced growth and food conversion and improves welfare associated with flatworm parasite infestation. A permit obtained as part of this project will facilitate better parasite management, improve production and fish welfare. APVMA provided pre-application advice on PZQ. Available data for PZQ can satisfy the APVMA module requirements for efficacy, chemistry and manufacture, toxicology, trade and occupational health and safety. These are available in published literature, a range of industry studies of animals treated off-label and laboratory studies. There is a lack of data to satisfy the requirements mainly in the environment modules and the target animal safety module.

PZQ is registered as an active ingredient, and for use in cats, dogs, horses, cattle, pigs and sheep in Australia. An unregistered product is manufactured by VetLab Autopak into two permitted products for use in kingfish as an in-feed (PER#87336) or immersion (PER#87833) treatments. The APVMA PAA assessed PZQ as suitable for assessment for use in finfish.

Objectives

1. Obtain data to satisfy identified gaps and collate available data to satisfy requirements of minor use permit application.
2. Collate and submit minor use permit application.

Minor use permit for erythromycin in finfish

Project number: 2021-027
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $95,000.00
Principal Investigator: Marty R. Deveney
Organisation: University of Adelaide
Project start/end date: 21 Oct 2021 - 30 Jul 2022
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There are no antimicrobials permitted or registered for use in finfish in Australia effective against gram positive bacteria (e.g. Streptococcus and Lactococcus). In finfish aquaculture, erythromycin (ERYC) is the best antimicrobial against gram positive organisms. The aquaculture industry and the Subcommittee for Aquatic Animal Health identified access to this product for finfinfish as a priority. Bacterial diseases are increasingly managed by eradication, maintenance of animals of specified health status, vaccination, and good hygiene, but antimicrobial therapy remains vital for treating bacterial diseases in finfish aquaculture. Appropriate use of antimicrobials can alleviate illness and suffering, improve welfare, increase speed of recovery, reduce spread of infection. Use of ERYC is not intended for prophylactic treatment, but as a tool for veterinarians to manage disease outbreaks. Use in South Australia, for example, is sporadic (~1 to 2 times per 3-5 years for a sector). The Aquaculture industry is committed to Australia's antimicrobial strategy, and as required by APVMA this proposal includes an antimicrobial resistance risk assessment. Available data for ERYC can satisfy the APVMA module requirements for efficacy, chemistry and manufacture, toxicology, trade and occupational health and safety. These are available in published literature, a range of industry studies of animals treated off-label and laboratory studies. There is a lack of data to satisfy the requirements mainly in the environment modules and the antimicrobial resistance risk assessment.

ERYC was ranked low by the Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Assessment (EAGAR) as an antimicrobial for which there are a reasonable number of alternative agents in different classes available to treat most infections. Although it is listed on the WHO list of essential medicines, it is registered for use in cattle, pigs and sheep (APVMA #84160) and poultry (APVMA #50742) in Australia and the WHO list can be modified locally to suit the availability and sophistication of the animal and human health systems in WHO member countries. The APVMA PAA assessed ERYC as suitable for assessment for use in finfish.

Objectives

1. Obtain data to satisfy identified gaps and collate available data to satisfy requirements of minor use permit application.
2. Collate and submit minor use permit application.
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2019-106
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Minor use permit for oxytetracycline in non-salmonid finfish

There are no registered or permitted antimicrobial products approved by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) for treatment of bacterial infections in finfish. This project developed an application for a minor-use permit (MUP) for the use of oxytetracycline (OTC) to...
ORGANISATION:
University of Adelaide
Industry