MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Kansas State University’s (KSU) International Grains Program (IGP) hosted the Pakistan Aquaculture short course July 2-7. Six participants from across Pakistan traveled to the U.S. from July 2-14 to learn about fish feed manufacturing, and how to better their own operations. With the first week spent at IGP the focus was on the basics of feed manufacturing and the extrusion process while the second week was spent in Arizona.

During their week in Kansas the Pakistan team attended presentations describing the basics of feed manufacturing and nutrition. They then had the opportunity to see a few laboratory demonstrations including a pelleting laboratory and an extrusion laboratory. As the aquatic industry grows in Pakistan it is important for producers to understand how to properly feed their fish to gain the best profit. That is why the Pakistan team came to Kansas State University said Michael Woolverton, consultant for AgriMarkets International.

“There is no other place in the world better equipped to teach people how to make quality livestock feed,” Woolverton said.

At the end of the week the group traveled to Sabetha, Kansas, U.S., where they toured Wenger Manufacturing, a corporation responsible for manufacturing animal feeds and human consumables. They toured the feed manufacturing facility and the equipment manufacturing facility. Once they had seen how the feed was produced, they moved to the laboratory where they witnessed a number of tests. The tests included fish feed flow tests, pellet durability, water stability, and density, buoyancy and maximum fat absorption.

During the second week of their stay in the U.S., the group journeyed down to the University of Arizona to discuss fish husbandry more in depth. There they attended laboratories, learned about nutrition and toured a tilapia farm.

Not only did the participants learn about feed manufacturing but they also had the opportunity to gain business relationships with each other. They were able to discuss how each operation is run and what they could do to better their own operations.

“They didn’t know each other before coming to the U.S. and while they were here they formed business relationships that will stimulate the Pakistani aquaculture industry to produce more protein food for the people of Pakistan,” Woolverton said.