There is no getting away from it. A medium to large aquaculture operation, using solar heating, offers the best chance of success.
In any new industry, entrepreneurs tend to start small, trying and testing all types of technologies to identify the most effective. In aquaculture, this phenomenon manifests itself as backyard systems, where a wide variance in design and complexity is weighed against cost and economic profitability.
This is unfortunately where the wheels often fall off due to the need for convenience rather than performance. The problem lies in the concept of ‘economy of scale’: any intensive livestock rearing system has to be a minimum size to be sustainable. In intensive chicken production, for example, a 100m-long building housing 15 000 chickens might be an efficient system; trying to raise 10 chickens per square metre in a backyard to be profitable certainly is not. Small, intensive fish-rearing systems are similar.
SMALL CANNOT SIMPLY BE SCALED UP
Denne historien er fra August 24, 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra August 24, 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
Global agriculture: news that made the headlines
Farmer protests, droughts and floods dominated international agricultural news throughout 2024. Here, Janine Ryan gives an overview of these challenges.
Something to scratch a head about
This article showed that if you interact with your pigs, your sows will be happy and their piglets will have better growth.
ARC names best dairy producers of the year
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) recently announced the winners of the 2024 National Master Dairyman Awards at an event hosted by AgriExpo in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
Lion breeders to give up bone stockpiles?
The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment issued an official notice in mid-November in which it called on lion breeders to voluntarily hand over their lion bone stockpiles to the state as soon as possible.
Thousands of British farmers march on parliament against inheritance tax
Thousands of UK farmers gathered in London, England, on 19 November to demand the government repeal a proposed inheritance tax on agricultural land, which they argued threatened the future of family-run farms (see page 4), Al Jazeera reported.
Feed, hay, and other costs are up, so it's time to get creative
Breeders and riding schools need to explore innovative ways to generate income in order to ensure their survival, says Dr Mac.
How to make polystyrene seedling trays last longer
While thinking about how to prolong the lifespan of polystyrene seedling trays that are exposed to harsh sunlight, Bill Kerr began to wonder if a coat of paint might offer a solution.
