Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

Unit 18 - Feed Management

18.3.4.Feeding Tables

The number of feed nets required is approximately 1 net per 1600 m2. The feed nets should be placed on the pond bottom away from the slope of the pond wall and the clean feeding areas. Feeding trays provide the best mechanism for determining ration consumption in shrimp ponds. Shrimp appetite vary due to changes in environmental conditions such as water quality, water temperature, sunny or overcast days and physiological factors such as disease and moulting. These factors along with the variable availability of natural prey organisms, complicate the use of feed guides and tables.

Of the recommended feed amounts, a percentage of food should be allocated to feeding trays at each feed. Based on the consumption levels of food in the trays, within the times specified for different sized animals, daily food allocations can be adjusted to match feed consumption levels. While the use of feed trays is subjective, their careful and consistent use will help to avoid the problems associated with over and underfeeding shrimp stocks.