How to Save Feed in White Shrimp Farming

In farming white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), pelleted compound feed is generally used. Because this feed is relatively expensive (generally 4000-5000 yuan/ton), feed cost is the main expense, generally accounting for more than 70%. Therefore, reasonably saving feed and reducing the feed conversion ratio in farming is an important way to achieve better economic returns in white shrimp farming. 

1. Remove wild trash fish to reduce competitors for food. 

When there are many wild trash fish and miscellaneous shrimp in the pond, low-quality fish and shrimp compete for feed, which reduces feed utilization, so care should be taken to remove them. The method is to fill with 20-30 cm of water before releasing the fry, then use 150 kg of quicklime per mu, slake it into a slurry and splash it over the whole pond for thorough pond clearing and disinfection to kill the wild trash fish in the pond. When filling with water, add a filter mesh bag to prevent wild trash fish from entering the pond with the water. 

2. Pay attention to feed selection and supplementation. 

1. Choose special white shrimp feed from a legitimate manufacturer to ensure rapid shrimp growth and avoid feed waste. 

2. In the early stage of farming, pay attention to fertilization to cultivate biological communities beneficial to shrimp growth, such as benthic organisms and plankton. Some beneficial feed organisms can be transplanted into the pond, so that little or no bait needs to be fed. As the basic feed is consumed, some pathogen-free fresh live bait and special compound feed for young shrimp can be fed, then gradually transition to feeding special white shrimp feed, which can save part of the feed. 

3. In the late stage of farming, after the outbreak period of shrimp disease has passed, some fresh live bait can be fed according to local feed sources to save on bait costs. But note that the feed must be fresh and not spoiled or deteriorated. 

3. Keep water quality fresh. 

White shrimp prefer fresh water quality. When water quality is good, shrimp grow rapidly, diseases are fewer, bait can be fully utilized, and the feed conversion ratio is reduced. Therefore, during farming, attention should be paid to regulating water quality and keeping it fresh. Generally, yellow-green water with 30-40 cm transparency and dissolved oxygen above 4 mg/L is preferred. 

4. Master bait-feeding techniques well. 

1. Adhere to the principle of small amounts fed many times, and the amount fed also differs at different times. Generally, at 7 a.m. feed 30% of the daily feeding amount, at 11 a.m. feed 10%, at 6 p.m. feed 40%, and at 11 p.m. feed 20%. 

2. Master the appropriate feeding amount. A relatively practical method is to set up several feeding trays of about 1 square meter around the pond, and when feeding, splash evenly around the pond. Check the shrimp's feeding situation 1.5-2 hours after feeding. Under normal conditions, if the full-stomach rate is 60%-70%, then the feeding is reasonable. 

3. Feed according to shrimp condition. When shrimp grow vigorously and have no disease, feed appropriately more; otherwise feed less. When shrimp molt in large numbers, feed less; 1 day after molting, feed more. 

4. Feed according to water temperature. When the water temperature is below 18°C or above 32°C, feed less; at 25-30°C, feed more.