Seaweed or marine algae belong to a large group of autotrophic organisms. They can be unicellular (microalgae or phytoplankton) or multicellular (macroalgae) with sizes ranging from 0.2-2.0 microns up to 60 m, respectively. Their reproduction occurs through simple division and due to the simplicity of their structure, they tend to grow faster than any other plant. Therefore, they are characterized as the most productive plants on the planet (Marsall, 2007):
There are about 320,500 species of algae.The amount of cultivated or native macroalgae used in industry during recent years rounds up to nearly 7.5-8 million tons per year (Becker, 2007).
Nutritional composition of algae
The nutritional value of algae depends on their size, digestibility, presence of toxic substances and chemical composition (Becker, 1994).
Algae are a remarkable source of protein, with a content of 10-15% in macro-algae (Oliveira et al., 2009) and 28-71% in microalgae. In addition, the content of certain amino acids such as lysine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, valine, histidine and isoleucine is comparable to that of eggs or soybean seeds.
Subscribe now to the technical magazine of animal nutrition
AUTHORS
Evaluation of Different Levels of Digestible Phosphorus in Layer Hens
Miguel Alberto Pérez EspinozaAMINO ACIDS IN THE FEEDING OF CATTLE (PART 1)
Breno Luis Nery GarciaVitamins for Swine Health, Welfare, and Productivity
Edgar OviedoAdvances in Poultry Nutrition: International Poultry Scientific Forum 2024
Edgar OviedoOptimizing pig nutrition for enhanced resilience
Gwendolyn JonesOptimizing Nutritional Formulas: A Vital Practice for Success
Gabriela MartínezSustainable performance with hybrid rye?
Dr. Volker WilkeNovel Approaches for Evaluating the Efficacy of Mycotoxin Adsorbents
Abdelhacib KihalThe Importance of Vitamins in Modern Poultry Farming
Sérgio Gonçalves Mota