Comparison of Zootechnical Performance of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei in Pilot-Scale Grow-Out under Intensive and Super-Intensive Biofloc Systems
Author: Melissa Sant' Anna (Currículo Lattes)
Advisor: Dr. Wilson Francisco Britto Wasielesky
Abstract
The shrimp production technology using biofloc systems (BFT) is considered one of the most suitable and promising for the sustainable development of shrimp farming, allowing for high stocking densities of Litopenaeus vannamei and the use of smaller areas with greater productivity when compared to traditional systems. However, it also brings adverse effects, mainly impacting water quality in the culture environment. Given this, the objective of this study was to compare the results of intensive and super-intensive BFT systems during the grow-out phase, in order to understand the main advantages and disadvantages of each approach. The experiment was conducted through direct stocking in 12 tanks of 35 m³, using inoculums from a mature biofloc culture, over a period of 80 days. The treatments were: Intensive – T100 (cultivation of L. vannamei at a density of 100 shrimp/m²) and Super-intensive – T500 (cultivation of L. vannamei at a density of 500 shrimp/m²). Water quality parameters were monitored daily. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity were maintained at average values of 27.8°C, above 5.0 mg/L, and 30, respectively, in both treatments, remaining within the recommended range for the species and not compromising animal development. Weekly biometrics were performed to assess shrimp zootechnical performance. Both treatments showed high survival rates: T100 (85.90%) and T500 (81.14%), with no statistical difference (p>0.05). In this study, the best feed conversion ratio was found in the T100 treatment (1.4 ±0.1) compared to the T500 treatment (1.8 ±0.1). Final average weights were 12.67 g for T100 and 10.25 g for T500, showing a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between treatments. The results indicate that the use of a super-intensive system remains a viable option for farming practices that use infrastructure similar to that of this study.