Training of Trainers - Library - Network of Aquaculture Centres in ...

(J) Presenting feed in trays:In some of the South American countries, shrimp are fed completely on feed trays and this seems to reduce feedwastage considerably. Though in Asia check trays are mainly used to test the feed consumption and health status ofshrimp, it appears that feeding trays could help in reducing the feed waste and reduce cost of production (Suresh,2006).(K) Probiotics and prebiotics:The fish gut microflora composition; occurrence, dominance etc appear to be totally different from human gutmicroflora. This is a newly emerging discipline to understand the gut micro flora and evolve suitable robotics andprebiotics that can be delivered through feed or application in the pond to maintain good heath of fish and shrimp andpromote healthy growth. While lack of regulation is making way for the entry of several spurious products, farmersultimately decide on the fate of these products sustainability.ConclusionFeed being the costly input, it is necessary to educate farmers on the way feed cost can be reduced without affectingthe yield. Empowering farmers with practical information and encouraging them to try various alternatives would helpin the new innovative ways of reducing the cost. The perception of farmers to use only high quality expensive feedversus developing their own feed may be through cooperative efforts with focus on cost factor would help in reducingfeed expenses. While tilapia are known to be effective utilizes of natural food available in the pond, it is possible togrow tilapia in ponds with farm made feeds. In the case of groupers and sea bass, several trials have shown thatinstead of using the trash fish, compounded wet and dry feeds can be used with equally effective results (Sim, et.al.,2005 ; Chang, et.al., 2008). The perception of the farmers need to be changed in regard to the absolute necessity oftrash fish use for the growth of these carnivore fish to the use of compounded feeds. In the case of semi-intensiveculture of shrimp in ponds, there is enormous opportunity to reduce feed cost and grow shrimp by taking advantageof the natural food available in the pond coupled with feed containing nutrients that will provide nutrients of what isnot available in the pond. If the farmers are able to understand the ecology of their ponds and be able to modify thetechnology to suit their ecosystem, there would be sustainability for the technology introduced.References:Chang, C.Y., Chiu, C.C. and John, J.A.C. 2008. Nutrition, immunology and health management of groupers. In:I.C.Liao and E.M.Leano (Eds) . The Aquaculture of Groupers. Asian Fisheries Society, World Aquaculture Society,the Fisheries Society of Taiwan and National Taiwan Ocean University. 241pp.De Silva, S.S.and T.A. Anderson. 1995. Fish nutrition in aquaculture. Chapman and Hall, London, UK.Fox, J and Treece, 2008. Shrimp Nutrition and Feed Management. In: Methods for improving shrimp farming inCentral America. 65-89 ppJunes, A.J.P. 2006. Aqua feeds in Brazil. Aqua Feeds: Formulation and Beyond, 3(3): 18-19Mishra, S.K. 2006 The effect of size of pellets on performance of shrimps. Aqua International, 14 : 18-19Moss, D.S. and Moss, S. M. 2006. Effects of gender and size on feed acquisition in the Pacific white shrimp,Litopeneaus vannamei. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society., 37 : 161-167.Mulsap, N. 2006. Aqua Feeds in Thailand. Formulation and Beyond, 3(3): 16-17Naylor, R.L., Goldberg, RJ., Primavera , J.H., Kautsky, N., Beveridge, M.C.M., Clay, J., Folke, C., Lubchenco, J.,Mooney H. and Troell, M., 2000. Effect of aquaculture on world fish supplies. Nature, 405 : 1017-1024.105