Resource efficiency, the ratio of inputs to outputs, is essential for both the economic and environmental performance of any sector of food production. This study quantified the advancement in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and reduction in nutrient loading from rainbow trout farming in Finland and the degree to which genetic improvements made by a national breeding programme have contributed to this advancement. The study combined two datasets. One included annual records on farm-level performance of commercial rainbow trout farms from 1980 onwards, and the other included individuals across eight generations of the national breeding programme. The data from the commercial farms showed that from 1980 onwards, the farm-level feed conversion ratio improved by 53.4%, and the specific nitrogen and phosphorus loading from the farms decreased by over 70%. Hence, to produce 1 kg of fish today, only half of the feed is needed compared to the 1980s. The first generation of the breeding programme was established in 1992. The FCR was not directly selected for, and hence, the genetic improvement in the FCR is a correlated genetic change in response to the selection for growth and body composition. Since 1992, the estimated genetic improvement in the FCR has been 1.74% per generation, resulting in a cumulative genetic improvement of 11.6% in eight generations. Genetic improvement in the FCR is estimated to be 32.6% of the total improvement in the FCR observed at farms, implying that genetic improvement is a significant contributor to resource efficiency. The use of genetically improved rainbow trout, instead of the base population of fish, reduces feed costs by 18.3% and total production costs by 7.8% at commercial farms (by -0.266€ per kg of ungutted fish). For phosphorus and nitrogen, it can be assumed that the use of fish material with an improved FCR also leads to 18.3% less nitrogen and phosphorus flowing into an aquatic environment. Such improvements in resource efficiency are win–wins for both industry and the environment—the same amount of seafood can be produced with significantly reduced amounts of raw materials and reduced environmental impact.

中文翻译：

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虹鳟养殖场饲料效率的提高和营养负荷的减少：选择性育种的作用

资源效率，即投入产出比，对于任何食品生产部门的经济和环境绩效都至关重要。本研究量化了芬兰虹鳟鱼养殖中饲料转化率 (FCR) 的进步和养分负荷的减少，以及国家育种计划进行的遗传改良对这一进步的贡献程度。该研究结合了两个数据集。一份包括自 1980 年以来商业虹鳟鱼养殖场的农场级绩效年度记录，另一份包括国家育种计划八代的个体。来自商业化养殖场的数据显示，从 1980 年起，养殖场级饲料转化率提高了 53.4%，农场的特定氮磷负荷下降了 70% 以上。因此，与 1980 年代相比，今天生产 1 公斤鱼只需要一半的饲料。第一代育种计划于 1992 年建立。FCR 不是直接选择的，因此，FCR 中的遗传改进是响应于生长和身体成分选择的相关遗传变化。自 1992 年以来，FCR 的估计遗传改良为每代 1.74%，导致八代的累积遗传改良为 11.6%。FCR 的遗传改良估计占农场观察到的 FCR 总改良的 32.6%，这意味着遗传改良是资源效率的重要贡献者。使用转基因虹鳟鱼，在商业养殖场，饲料成本降低了 18.3%，总生产成本降低了 7.8%（每公斤未去内脏的鱼减少 -0.266 欧元）。对于磷和氮，可以假设使用具有改进的 FCR 的鱼类材料也会导致流入水生环境的氮和磷减少 18.3%。这种资源效率的提高对工业和环境来说都是双赢的——生产相同数量的海产品时，原材料的数量大大减少，对环境的影响也更小。流入水生环境的氮和磷减少 3%。这种资源效率的提高对工业和环境来说都是双赢的——生产相同数量的海产品时，原材料的数量大大减少，对环境的影响也更小。流入水生环境的氮和磷减少 3%。这种资源效率的提高对工业和环境来说都是双赢的——生产相同数量的海产品时，原材料的数量大大减少，对环境的影响也更小。