Optimizing Shrimp Growth and Health through Post Larva Nutrition

Farmers around the world play an important role in nourishing the world, particularly as the global population continues to grow. While population climbs, so does global consumer demand for sustainable protein sources, like shrimp and salmon. Over the next four years alone, global shrimp production from aquaculture is expected to increase 11% to meet this demand.

For farmers, the ability to maintain a stable supply of healthy shrimp requires a focus on supporting growth post larva (PL), the earliest stages of shrimp development. The health of the PL supply depends on various factors, but one of the most important is optimizing post larva growth and health through nutrition.

For shrimp, the post larval phase is a stressful event requiring dramatic changes in organ, membrane and cell development. Often, the PL gut tract is poorly developed, so optimized nutrition is critical to ensure nutrient digestibility, and consistent feed delivery and availability.

To support farmers in optimizing growth, Cargill offers liquid feeds, like LiquaLife, that optimize health and growth for PL shrimp in their earliest and most vulnerable stages. The liquid feeds undergo a microencapsulation process, which results in a stabilized, lipid-coated feed particle embedded in a gel. The microencapsulation process keeps the nutrients intact until consumed, reduces the impact on water quality and increases feed availability in the water.

Each drop of LiquaLife contains direct-fed microbials to help farmers deliver nutrition for better survival rates and growth for their PL shrimp. To deploy LiquaLife on-farm, Cargill partners work closely with shrimp farmers to help build a tailored nutrition plan to increase production by supporting shrimp in their earliest development phases.

One Ecuadorian shrimp company, BIOGEMAR, approached Cargill in 2020 to build a liquid feed nutrition strategy for their early-stage shrimp. The goal was to produce healthier shrimp by supporting them post larva to increase larvae production and improve the efficiency of their capacity without impacting quality.

In January 2021, Cargill and BIOGEMAR partnered to start a LiquaLife trial during the first steps of the larvae cycle. Unlike conventional dry feeds, LiquaLife would help BIOGEMAR to maintain consistent feed levels, support shrimp digestibility and completely replace their conventional dry feed.

Once the product trial was underway, BIOGEMAR achieved immediate results. BIOGEMAR reported a 20% higher larva survival rate and improved water quality with a reduction in toxic ammonium levels. The results reflect that a tailored liquid feed nutrition plan can help to deliver increased larvae production in their earliest stages, increased water quality and a strong production for farmers.

For customers like BIOGEMAR, Cargill aims to be a trusted partner and advisor for shrimp farmers to support their role in nourishing a growing world, and to bolster their production and shrimp health to build a thriving operation.