Farmed Salmon Diet

Salmon farming has resulted in one of the most efficient sources of protein in the world. Farmed salmon are able to convert 1 to 1.5 lbs. of feed into 1 lb. of weight. Our other major sources of protein are far less efficient.

Beef: 8 lbs. of feed to 1 lb. of weight
Pork: 6 lbs. of feed to 1 lb. of weight
Poultry: 4lbs. of feed to 1 lb. of weight

Farmed salmon are fed a specially formulated diet to meet all of their developmental needs from first feeding to harvest. The typical farmed salmon diet mimics the nutritional profile of the natural diet of wild salmon. Some of the common ingredients are fishmeal, fish oil, wheat, soy and canola oil.

This high quality feed explains the big difference in the time needed to grow a salmon in the wild versus on a farm. Wild salmon take up to 6 years to reach harvest size. Farmed salmon reach harvest size in a little over 2 years, between 22 and 26 months. In the wild, salmon are exposed to many different conditions and have to forage for their food. On farms, the salmon are grown in the best conditions, and are continuously fed a diet specially formulated to meet all their developmental needs.