KYTOS – I&V Bio collaboration makes microbiome management accessible
A Need for Rapid Logistics and Local Microbiome Analysis
Aquaculture has an enormous potential to ensure food security in a sustainable way. Animal health and water quality are therefore crucial aspects. Frequent and unpredictable disease outbreaks are detrimental to farm yields. By better controlling the microbiome based on robust and detailed data, the industry can take the necessary next step towards sustainable and reproducible farming.
KYTOS and I&V Bio are now joining forces to bring rapid sample logistics (I&V Bio) and local microbiome analysis (KYTOS) to the six most important shrimp producing countries (Thailand, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Ecuador and Bangladesh). The partnership will install local and independent KYTOS labs to serve aquaculture farms and hatcheries with cutting-edge high throughput microbiome management tools.
The partnership combines I&V Bio’s long-standing expertise in serving aquaculture clients every single day of the year with KYTOS’s novel microbial fingerprinting technology that brings a holistic view on the aquaculture microbiome health. Vietnam has been selected as the first country where a central sample collection point, equipped with KYTOS’s automated microbiome analysis platform will be established. The other countries will follow swiftly.
Today, KYTOS technology can already characterize most of the microbial life (fungi, bacteria and algae) in the water, sediment and shrimp of a pond. Functional indicators, devised using machine learning, connect these data to farm actions such as biofloc formation, water maturation, and microalgae blooms. This ever-expanding list of indicators will help aquaculture farmers to shift the focus from mitigating diseases to an altogether improved management of the microbiome in their systems.
Enabling Precision Farming in Aquaculture
In the fields of water and animal treatments, KYTOS can now open the microbial black box in aquaculture systems by using so-called “microbial fingerprints”. This assessment provides farmers with microbial health insights that empowers them to take targeted actions to optimize animal health and production yields.
“The need for improved health management and disease prevention is as critical today as ever. Effective biosecurity will always be key to boost the commercial viability and environmental responsibility of the shrimp farming industry.“
Frank Indigne, CEO of I&V Bio
KYTOS uses big data and artificial intelligence to reduce aquaculture’s unpredictability by creating practical tools that help all stakeholders make informed management decisions to improve their farm performance.
“Shrimp aquaculture has largely been deprived of the benefits of new microbiome technologies and knowledge. At KYTOS, we’re on a mission to change that status quo. This partnership is an important step to bring our microbial fingerprinting platform to the farmers across the world. By working closely with all stakeholders in the industry we will create a unique opportunity to manage the microbiome together, for the benefit of the industry.“
Ruben Props, CEO of KYTOS
About I&V Bio
I&V Bio specializes in the daily and fresh delivery of its live feeds and solutions to the aquaculture industry. 8 years ago, the founders Frank Indigne and Luk Van Nieuwenhove started working on a revolutionary solution that has taken the Artemia-hatching burden away from shrimp hatcheries by creating Artemia hatching facilities. These facilities combine know-how, experience and new technologies to produce Artemia nauplii in a professional and industrial way. Currently, the I&V Bio Group has established Nauplii Centers in 6 countries: Thailand, India (3), Indonesia, Vietnam, Ecuador and Bangladesh.
All the I&V Bio Artemia Centers use a patented technology that allows them to offer pure undamaged Artemia nauplii (Instar1) free of the shell and other impurities, and free of Vibrio. The Artemia nauplii are disinfected, brought into suspended animation and de-watered until a consistent unique live-paste is achieved. The Artemia nauplii are ready to use and can be scooped from the tray directly into the shrimp tank. I&V Bio’s key to success is our guarantee to supply our customers with daily fresh, clean and disinfected vibrio-free products.
About KYTOS
KYTOS is a microbiome technology company developing microbiome management solutions at the frontier of technological innovation. We have our origins in the Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) at Ghent University, from which we build on decades of world-leading expertise in the management of microbial communities. We transform our partners into expert microbiome health stewards by empowering them with a unique blend of data science, technology, and microbial ecology insights.
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