Feed inputs constitute a major cost component in shrimp hatchery operations. Approximately, 3.4kg of Artemia cysts and 8kg of dry feeds are required to produce one million vannamei shrimp post larvae. Together these two feed components cost about USD 480-520 per million of post larvae production.
Replacement of Artemia in the hatchery trials showed no negative effects on the hatchery productivity and post larvae quality, and yielded 10% savings in feed input costs
The results of a feeding trial where Artemia usage was reduced by 25% and compensated by an increase in the dry diet by 25% was impressive and could be a major contributing factor towards reducing the hatchery cost of production.
The trials were done at two different stocking densities of post larvae (PL) in the tanks: 60 PL/L and 80 PL/L – the lower and upper ends of stocking densities used in commercial hatcheries.
Growel Origin® shrimp hatchery feed, an extruded, crumbled, micro coated feed produced in India (Growel Feeds Private Limited) was used exclusively throughout the trial.
Trial methodology
The feeding trial was conducted at the Growel Shrimp Hatchery Feed Trial Centre (GSHFTC) which is located within the premises of a commercial hatchery near Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India.
The centre has 25 ‘U’ shaped tanks made of fiber reinforced plastic. Each tank had seawater flowing through an ultra-filter for the trial. Shrimp were actively swimming against the water current and appeared to be healthy and stress-free.
Reducing the use of Artemia by 25% and concurrently increasing dry feed by the same percentage resulted in consistent savings of about USD24-25/million PL production which represented about 10% savings in feed input costs.
Although the post larvae stocked at 60 PL/L, performed slightly superior to those stocked at 80 PL/L, the latter group showed acceptable performance under the standard feeding protocol and exceptional performance when live Artemia was reduced and Growel Origin® dry feed was increased.
Higher stocking density of 80 PL/L can be easily supported by the use of a good dry feed and management, and there is no need to rely more on live Artemia feeding in the higher densities.
Conclusions
• Reducing the use of live Artemia by 25% and compensating for the reduction by increasing dry feed usage by 25% did not result in any major negative impacts on water quality, survival, growth or stress tolerance of vannamei post larvae between PL3 and PL12 even when the post larvae were stocked at a density of 80 PL/L.
• Growel Origin shrimp hatchery feed was used as the only dry feed in the trial and found to support consistently high survival and growth of vannamei post larvae.
• If a good quality dry feed is used and the tanks are well managed, stocking density can be maintained at 80 PL/L without any discernible adverse impacts on the hatchery productivity or post larvae quality.
• This strategy of reducing live Artemia and increasing the equivalent with dry diet can give about 10% savings in the cost of feed inputs.
Blogger:
Dr. Sathish Prasad
Senior Scientist – Aquatic Animal Health
Growel Innovation Center,
RS NO.57, Chevuru Village, Sriharipuram Panchayat, Mudinepalli Mandal, Krishna District – Andhra Pradesh India – 521329
Email: [email protected]