Numerous highly specific, outdated databases on the nutritional quality of feed ingredients for livestock are available, but very few exist for aquaculture species. None of these databases provide all of the information that is necessary to adequately define the nutritional quality of a feed ingredient, and all provide conflicting and varying information about the nutritive value of the same ingredient. The major limitation of existing databases is the degree of variation and the lack of consistency between them, making it difficult to interpret the results.

The ALFI database will:

1. Reduce the variability surrounding existing databases;
2. Prevent repetitive collection of information by centralising data collection for all livestock species;
3. Provide a means for recording data generated as part of FRDC funded research programs;
4. Provide a standard against which end-users (producers, stockfeed manufacturers, researchers, plant breeders) can compare values;
5. Utilise the vast amount of information already available on the chemical composition of feed ingredients for all livestock species, removing the need to enter this data for each species;
6. Allow an accurate assessment of ingredient variation over time;
7. Provide a tool for the accurate prediction of the nutritional quality of feed ingredients used in aquaculture diets.

If diet costs in aquauculture systems are to be minimised, there is an urgent need to dessiminate information on the nutritional quality of feed ingredients suitable for use in these diets. The ALFI Database offers the means to achieve this.