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Achieving a higher level of health
through nutrition
There are several levels of what we term “health”.
Lourens de Wet focuses on the possibility of achieving a high
level of health through new developments in koi nutrition.
Most commercial koi foods aim to comply with the concept
of being “complete and balanced”. A complete koi
food may be defined as a nutritionally adequate food for koi
other than its owner, compounded by a specific formula to
be fed as a sole ration and capable of maintaining life and/or
promoting production without any additional substances being
consumed except for water. Most home made foods are less likely
to be associated with this definition and it should be emphasized
that the long-term feeding of homemade foods is unacceptable,
as they may not meet the specific nutritional needs of the
koi. The provision of a balanced diet must inevitably include
considerations of a number of factors that are all interlinked,
including nutrient content, energy content, digestibility
and palatability of the food.
Feeding koi is an occasion that should be enjoyable, since
it helps to reinforce the bond of companionship between the
koi and its owner. Considering this close bond, it is no surprise
that koi owners are as concerned for their koi’s health
as for their own - perhaps more so. After all, the objectives
of feeding our koi very much mirror our own desire for the
diet to contribute as much as possible to a long, healthy
life. Koi foods are therefore increasingly being designed
to meet the specific needs of different life stages of the
life cycle - an exciting departure from the rather dull looking
“good for all seasons and life stages” or “all-rounder”
koi foods. Today’s range of commercial koi foods offers
a considerable choice of different types of product. Furthermore,
there is now a developing portfolio of foods designed for
healthy koi that can confer positive effects of well-being.
Of these, perhaps the most significant development is the
so-called nutraceuticals or functional foods that incorporate
particular ingredients or properties that confer specific
physiological benefits to the koi. These are specialist koi
foods that aid in the dietary management and prevention of
disease conditions. These products are based on a philosophy
of enriching a completely balanced diet with specific natural
food ingredients with properties to reinforce the natural
defense system of koi - to boost their natural ability to
fight stress and disease. The elements of this "protective
concept" often include phytochemicals such as bioflavonoids,
probiotics, prebiotics, immune stimulants, O3 fatty acids
and phospholipids - ingredients that specifically aid body-protecting
functions, thereby offering a health benefit over and above
providing simple nutrition or basic fortification.
This trend of formulating to optimize health as well as supplying
adequate nutrients will undoubtedly be extended in the future
development of commercial koi food. The increasing availability
of these health-supporting foods of course implies that there
are several levels of what we term “health”. As
we learn more about and understand the effects that these
dietary components may exert on the health of the koi, it
should be possible to achieve the highest level of health
for our koi by implementing this knowledge in more conscious
selection of locally available koi food.
Lourens de Wet
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