Shell Hardening Research Takes An Interesting Twist

Two years ago the Nova Scotia Agricultural College graduate student began looking for alternatives to the products now used, powdered limestone, or a mixture of limestone and oyster shell. As oyster shell is three times as expensive as limestone she felt a search for a calcium alternative was warranted.

Daniel wondered if some Atlantic seafood shells could be used to replace current sources. She sought the answer in an in-vitro solubility study for calcium utilization and examined surf clam shells, soft shell clams, blue mussel shells, lobster shells and meal, crab shells and meal as well as scallop shells.

The solubility trials demonstrated the byproducts have higher calcium content than crab and lobster meal and many were comparable to oyster shell.

"Further production trials would be useful to assess their full potential as a calcium source during the laying cycle," Daniel said.

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