Skretting introduces specialist feeds for shrimp hatcheries

Following trials in shrimp hatcheries in several countries, Skretting is launching a line of shrimp hatchery feeds to complement the shrimp grower feeds it already produces, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Skretting.

The hatchery feed range, known as PL, provides larval and post larval nutrition for both black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon and Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The newly developed feeds are produced at Skretting's specialist plant in Vervins, France, where the equipment permits the production of micro feeds at low temperature to retain high levels of nutritional value.

"We ran trials in shrimp hatcheries in Vietnam and Mexico, also in Thailand, Brunei and Colombia," says Eamonn O'Brien, Skretting Product Manager Marine Hatchery Feeds. "In every case the results were as good as or better than the established feed for the hatchery. Often that is a cocktail of manufactured feeds developed by each hatchery in attempts to meet all the requirements of the shrimp larvae. In addition, as it provides complete nutrition, the stand-alone PL feed is simpler to use. People in the hatcheries were positive about the 62% content of highly digestible protein compared with the conventional 50% protein content and the green colour, which results from the inclusion of algal products. These add nutritional value and appeal because of the continuity with the algae (diatoms) used for the first diet after hatching."

 The complex development of shrimp nauplii, with several stages in 25 days and daily moulting, means good nutrition throughout is vital. O'Brien continues, "Skretting PL is formulated to be introduced at the Zoea stage, directly after algae and before freshly hatched Artemia (brine shrimp) nauplii. In a series of grades PL then provides all the nutrition needed from about two days after hatching through to sale.