Location: Aquatic Animal Health Research
Project Number: 6010-32000-027-012-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 1, 2020
End Date: Apr 30, 2025
Objective:
The objective of this project is to optimize production techniques, salt formulations, feed formulations, feed management strategies, evaluate culture conditions, and evaluate traditional and alternative production systems that result in optimum growth performance and overall improved health of the U.S. shrimp industry in the near term (<5 years). Integrative approaches drawn from current techniques in aquatic animal health and physiology, aquatic animal nutrition and production aquaculture will be employed to help solve U.S. shrimp industry problems including disease, low survival, poor production, and reduced profitability.
Approach:
U.S. shrimp producers are currently using a variety of production systems including semi-intensive outdoor earthen ponds, indoor recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), and biofloc production systems. Shrimp farmers are attempting to increase production through the application of innovative feed and production technology. Despite the efforts of U.S. shrimp farmers, poor survival, production, and disease related issues remain common throughout the industry independent of which production systems are used to grow shrimp. Improvements in production and survival are attainable through further optimization of existing feed formulations, feed management techniques, production systems, and a better overall understanding of shrimp health, physiology, and nutrition. The optimization of the culture medium (ion profile) to improve osmoregulatory capacity of shrimp is also an area that ''equires further investigation and refinement. The project involves both laboratory and on-farm research using new innovative production technology and feed management regimes, imtJroved feeds targeted at improving shrimp health, and the use of techniques in aquatic animal physiology. ARS and Auburn scientists will collaborate in these areas to improve the efficiency of U.S. shrimp farmers with the goal of achieving long-term sustainability, growth, and profitability.
