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13 April, 2009

Don’t Be Trapped With FCR (Food Conversion Ratio) Target

At former discussions have been explained regarding with FCR (Food Conversion Ratio) that is comparison (ratio) between weights feed which have been given at one period cycle with shrimps total weighting (biomass) that harvested at that moment.



For example: at one particular period of shrimp culture have succeeded the harvested shrimp with 2 tons of biomass while total weight of feed which have been used is 3 tons, hence the value of FCR at that moment is 3 ton divide 2 ton = 1.5.

Generally, on shrimp farming the value of FCR made as one of an efficacy measuring through technical and financially of shrimp culture. Evaluated from technical side of shrimp culture, the value of FCR related to efficacies parameter of shrimp feeding management, indirectly also related to management of pond water quality and condition/quality of shrimps. Meanwhile as financially, the value of FCR will have an effect on to advantage level that obtained at one period of shrimp culture because shrimp feed is biggest contributor of cost for shrimp farming. The most ideally value of FCR usually reside at range of 1.5 – 2.5 (depended from media / used condition of pond).

Based on above mentioned explanation, hence condition that often happened is at starting time of shrimp culture activity usually have been specified target of FCR value that have to be reached. This matter can make a condition with management of shrimp feeding program more relating to target of FCR value than requirement level of shrimp to feed at that moment. Psychologically, the target of FCR can result to worry if FCR value will swell or equally have happened an extravagance of shrimp feed (of course cost production is also swell). Psychological factor like this also have affected for arrangement of shrimp feeding management to less optimal condition because more in a mood for feed economizing principle.

Shrimp feeding program which relating to target of FCR value regardless of shrimp requirement level in general can result the condition as follows:
  1. Late in feeding (especially to artificial feed) at first month phase, though have indicated that availability of natural feed at that moment become decrease/not anymore. This condition can influence to condition, population and size uniform level of shrimps, indirectly it will have an affect with next feeding program.

  2. Weight of feed per day (daily feeding) which given to be determined by population estimation and biomass of shrimps that relate to target of FCR which have been determined. Change of feed weight per day more tend to direct at constant change and it is not fluctuated as according to requirement level of shrimp at selected moment.

  3. Existence of the perception that not fully correct to feeding frequency, that is more and more feeding frequencies hence will result FCR become "swell".

    At above mentioned condition a daily feeding frequency more to direct at total amount of feeding daily which distributed at each feeding frequency and it is not concerning with ability of shrimp in consuming feed and also how long/often the shrimp will require feed again.

    For example: prawn population within a pond requires feed total per day is 20 kgs. At that moment for example ability of the shrimp population only 4 kg, hence ideal daily feeding frequency better have 5 times per day. If daily feeding frequency only 4 times per day, though heavily totalize of feed per day is same that is 20 kgs, hence each time feeding is 5 kgs and this means 1 kg of feed is not consumed by shrimp each time or 4 kgs per day.

  4. Related to explanation no 1, 2 and 3 above mentioned hence result of harvested shrimps in the end nor can optimal either viewed from quality, amount (biomass) and profit level which obtained, though the target of FCR can fulfilled
Based on above explanation and illustration, hence can be said that in conducting the shrimp farming especially management of feeding program, the better condition is we do not trapped by target of FCR regardless of condition and requirement level of shrimp. Truly, the target of FCR have important role as guidance of feeding program, and this matter not make a condition that shrimp have to follow us, but on the contrary we have to follow requirement of shrimps.



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