COMPOSITION, PREPARATION AND UTILIZATION OF FEEDS FOR CRUSTACEA

Feeds for Crustacea, especially those for penaeid shrimp, are used ext ensively and represent a key factor in the success of any farming acti vity whether it is run under semi-intensive, intensive or super-intens ive conditions according to the stocking density of postlarvae or juve niles. Composition of the feeds differ according to the stage of devel opment of the animals. Currently three types of feed are available: (1 ) microbound or microencapsulated, for post-larvae; (2) starter and gr ower feeds provided under different granulometries; and (3) broodstock feeds. A major difference from fish feeds is that the pellet must be very water-stable; this has led to a large amount of research on the u se of proper binders. Reaction of binders with other ingredients espec ially during processing is discussed. The manner in which food is dist ributed in a pond or tank can dramatically influence the performance o f a given feed formulation. Various aspects of feed utilization by cru staceans are considered including digestibility of major components, e nzyme secretions, nutrient absorption, protein and energy metabolism a nd excretion.