Establishing a standard growth curve

L. Evans. web@ecotao.com
Fenneropenaeus indicus Growth Rates

The growth of young shrimp is typically logarithmic or exponential until 0.5-1.0

grams. Afterwards, it becomes linear. Growth must be confirmed by weekly
biomass/population sampling, where at least 100 shrimp are weighed.

When pond and climatic conditions are stable and shrimp get sufficient food, they
should grow at a predictable or expected rate. The following two graphs show raw
data and possible standard curves for F. indicus.

When viewing growth curves, it is important to note that they seldom appear as in the
classical smooth line representations. They appear more like jagged lines reflecting
sudden increases/decreases in mean body weight attributed to molt status or sampling
error. In the first two days post-molt, shrimp can gain 1-1.5 g in weight.
Shrimp weights

We check shrimp growth by weighing them weekly. We weigh 100 shrimp from a
pond on the same day each week.

Growth and feed - the feed increment

Feed is fed as a percentage of biomass according to an established formula. However

to keep the shrimp growing consistently, the feed amount needs to be increased by a
small amount daily to match the growth of the shrimp. This id the daily feed
increment. A gradual increase in feed is needed to match the growth increment of the
shrimp that translates into an increased biomass requiring food. There are many
approaches to this and it can be done by the simple rule of increasing feed by 10%
each day when feed trays are empty.

However a more accurate guide to the daily feed increment is to establish the
expected growth rate for the shrimp species and then to increment the feed to match
the growth increment. The section on feed tables outlines briefly and clearly what
level of feeding is needed for "maintenance" and growth. See also the detail of feed
rates as a percentage of biomass.

Summary

Technical and management

The following reflects the best attainable growth recorded in South Africa and Iran.

40*(1-@EXP(-0.015*(+D37+0.01)))^3

30 days from stocking at PL12, this gives an attainable 1.9 grams

This gives 20 gram shrimp in 106 days, assuming stocking at PL12. Once growout
systems are stable, this growth rate should be targeted. This curve can be used so long
as the shrimp grow at the rate required by the curve and consume all the food added
with each increment.

The Evans standard curve matched much of Iranian and South African conditions and
fell between the Sahu and Dandani curves. When conditions are good, F. indicus can
easily grow at the linear rate for the standard linear growth curve of Evans:

shrimp grams = -2.382+0.153*day (Apply formula after about day 15).

This is an increment of 0.153 grams per day. In some cases shrimp achieve 0.2 grams
per day of the Sahu curve. The limit for this species may be around 0.3 grams per day.
In Delvar some farmers achieved 0.25 grams per day before the extreme high
temperatures at the end of July.

Using a Lotus or Excel spreadsheet, the formula:

28*(1-@EXP(-0.015*(+day+0.01)))^3 (28g Evans curve)

an average and attainable nonlinear curve is attained that gets to 20 grams in 150 days
from PL12.

30*(1-@EXP(-0.015*(+day+0.01)))^3 attains 20 grams in 138 days (30g Evans

curve). This may be a good standard curve to start on at Arabian Shrimp.