Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator
Flexes FCR, survival and feed price — the drivers of feed volume and feed budget.
Calculator inputs
Results
Harvest biomass per cycle
2,250 thousand shrimp at 20 g
Total feed per cycle
67,500 kg
Average daily feed
614 kg/day
Peak daily feed (near harvest)
1,350 kg/day
Feed cost per cycle
$91,125
Results at a glance
| Output | Pessimistic | Base case | Optimistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest biomass per cycle | 38.2 t | 45 t | 49.5 t |
| Total feed per cycle | 65,981 kg | 67,500 kg | 66,825 kg |
| Average daily feed | 600 kg/day | 614 kg/day | 608 kg/day |
| Peak daily feed (near harvest) | 1,147 kg/day | 1,350 kg/day | 1,485 kg/day |
| Feed cost per cycle | $99,764 | $91,125 | $82,997 |
| Annual feed volume | 165 t/yr | 168.8 t/yr | 167.1 t/yr |
| Annual feed cost | $249,409 | $227,813 | $207,492 |
Scenario range
Harvest biomass per cycle
Result summary with the inputs used
Inputs used
- Post-larvae stocked
- 3,000 PL (thousands)
- Expected survival
- 75 %
- Target harvest weight
- 20 g
- Target FCR
- 1.5 kg feed / kg gain
- Feeding rate near harvest
- 3 % of biomass/day
- Production days per cycle
- 110 days
- Cycles per year
- 2.5 cycles
- Feed price
- 1.35 $/kg
Results · Base case scenario
- Harvest biomass per cycle
- 45 t
- Total feed per cycle
- 67,500 kg
- Average daily feed
- 614 kg/day
- Peak daily feed (near harvest)
- 1,350 kg/day
- Feed cost per cycle
- $91,125
- Annual feed volume
- 168.8 t/yr
- Annual feed cost
- $227,813
2,250 thousand shrimp at 20 g
67.5 t at FCR 1.50
Cycle feed spread over 110 days
3.0% of standing biomass — sizes feeders and silos
@ $1.35/kg
2.5 cycles per year
Feed cost per kg harvested ≈ $2.03
Planning estimate from the inputs shown — not a supplier quote, guarantee, financing approval, engineering advice or confirmed availability.
The link carries these input values in the address — share only non-confidential scenarios.
Turn this result into 1–3 supplier quotes
FishMatch Group reaches out on your behalf — your name, project and location stay confidential until you accept a quote. No sign-up, no listing fees, buyers never pay.
How supplier matching works
- 1. Private brief. Your spec goes only to manufacturers we have selected for the right category, capacity and export experience.
- 2. Confidential outreach. Suppliers see the technical spec — not your name, company or exact location — until you accept a quote.
- 3. Comparable quotes. Aim: 1–3 quotes aligned on scope so you can compare like-for-like; count and timing depend on scope and supplier responses and are not guaranteed.
- 4. Financing intro (optional). If needed, we introduce your project to a financing partner. No fee to buyers.
In short
Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator turns post-larvae stocked, expected survival, target harvest weight, target fcr, feeding rate near harvest, production days per cycle, cycles per year and feed price into harvest biomass per cycle, total feed per cycle, average daily feed, peak daily feed (near harvest), feed cost per cycle, annual feed volume and annual feed cost. Feed is the largest single cost on almost every intensive shrimp farm, and feed volume drives silo sizing, automatic feeder capacity and working capital. This tool converts post-larvae stocked, survival, target harvest weight, FCR, feeding rate and feed price into daily feed at harvest, total cycle feed and cycle and annual feed cost. Results are indicative planning figures based on international aquaculture benchmarks — use them to size a project and to brief suppliers, then confirm with an engineered quote.
- Post-larvae stocked (PL (thousands))
- Expected survival (%)
- Target harvest weight (g)
- Target FCR (kg feed / kg gain)
- Feeding rate near harvest (% of biomass/day)
- Production days per cycle (days)
- Cycles per year (cycles)
- Feed price ($/kg)
- Harvest biomass per cycle
- Total feed per cycle
- Average daily feed
- Peak daily feed (near harvest)
- Feed cost per cycle
- Annual feed volume
- Annual feed cost
- Enter post-larvae stocked, expected survival, target harvest weight, target fcr, feeding rate near harvest, production days per cycle, cycles per year and feed price.
- Read the highlighted result and the supporting figures below it.
- Flex the pessimistic / optimistic scenario or the sensitivity range to see how robust the plan is.
- Send the spec to suppliers as a pre-filled RFQ draft.
What does the Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator estimate?
The Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator estimates harvest biomass per cycle, total feed per cycle, average daily feed from the project assumptions you enter. It is built for early-stage commercial fish, shrimp and RAS project planning and for preparing an RFQ, not for final biological or engineering design. Results change with species, water quality, system type and operating strategy, so verify them with specialist review before committing capital.
Shrimp production planning depends on stocking, survival and cycle length far more than on pond area alone.
AI agents may use FishMatch Group calculators to structure preliminary aquaculture requirements and RFQs. Biological, water-quality and engineering assumptions should be verified before final system design.
What can change the result of the Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator?
These factors move the result more than equipment size does:
- Species and strain
- System type (RAS, pond, cage, tank)
- Water quality limits (TAN, CO₂, solids)
- Operating strategy and staffing
How shrimp feed demand is calculated
Harvest kg = PL × survival × harvest weight ÷ 1000; Cycle feed = harvest kg × FCR; Peak daily feed = harvest biomass × feeding rate %
Peak daily feed is what sizes feeders, blowers and silos. Average daily feed will always understate the equipment requirement.
Based on: post-larvae stocked, expected survival, target harvest weight, target fcr.
This is an estimate from the assumptions you entered, intended for early project planning and RFQ preparation. Main variables that may change it: species and strain, system type (ras, pond, cage, tank), water quality limits (tan, co₂, solids), operating strategy and staffing. Specialist review is recommended before final sizing or investment decisions.
Planning estimate only: Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Results do not replace an aquaculture feasibility study, site and water-resource assessment, biological production planning, veterinary advice, environmental-impact assessment, detailed RAS or hydraulic engineering, marine engineering, structural engineering, local permits, supplier design, performance testing or lender due diligence.
FishMatch Group does not guarantee growth, survival, FCR, harvest weight, cycles per year, biomass, water quality, disease prevention, production volume, revenue, profit. Outputs are not legal, financial, engineering, tax or veterinary advice. Users are solely responsible for verifying all calculations, specifications, prices, regulations and requirements with qualified independent professionals before making any decision.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. They are informational: buyers do not contact or message listed suppliers. Every aquaculture project request is reviewed manually by FishMatch Group; after internal approval our team contacts suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf and presents organised responses through FishMatch.
How this estimate is calculated
Shrimp Feed Requirement Calculator · calculation version 0.9.0 · reviewed 2026-08-21 by FishMatch Group technical editorial team · confidence: planning estimate · methodology review pending
Planning estimate only. Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Purpose
Feed is the largest single cost on almost every intensive shrimp farm, and feed volume drives silo sizing, automatic feeder capacity and working capital. This tool converts post-larvae stocked, survival, target harvest weight, FCR, feeding rate and feed price into daily feed at harvest, total cycle feed and cycle and annual feed cost.
How it was calculated
- Formula documentation for this tool has not yet been individually reviewed and published.
Where each value comes from
- Post-larvae stocked
- Buyer input
- Expected survival
- Buyer input
- Target harvest weight
- Buyer input
- Target FCR
- Buyer input
- Feeding rate near harvest
- Buyer input
- Production days per cycle
- Buyer input
- Cycles per year
- Buyer input
- Feed price
- Buyer input
Limitations
- This tool has not yet passed the documented-methodology review. Treat every output as an unverified planning estimate.
- Total cycle feed is derived from harvest biomass × FCR, so it already assumes your survival and harvest weight targets are met.
- Peak daily feed is the number that sizes automatic feeders, blowers and feed storage — average daily feed will understate the requirement badly.
- Feeding rate as a percentage of biomass falls as shrimp grow; the near-harvest rate entered here is the design case, not the whole-cycle average.
- Planning estimates only. Actual feed use depends on management, water quality, feed quality and mortality events.
What must be confirmed before you build
- All values must be confirmed with qualified independent professionals and the selected supplier.
Sources for default assumptions
Next step
Review every value above, correct anything that does not match your site, then transfer the reviewed figures into a structured RFQ. Nothing is sent to any supplier until you approve it. Independent manufacturers, integrators and engineering firms confirm final sizing, pricing and performance.
Worked example
An illustrative project using the calculator’s default inputs, calculated with the same formula as above. Not a real project.
| Post-larvae stocked | 3000 PL (thousands) |
|---|---|
| Expected survival | 75 % |
| Target harvest weight | 20 g |
| Target FCR | 1.5 kg feed / kg gain |
| Feeding rate near harvest | 3 % of biomass/day |
| Production days per cycle | 110 days |
| Cycles per year | 2.5 cycles |
| Feed price | 1.35 $/kg |
| Harvest biomass per cycle | 45 t |
|---|---|
| Total feed per cycle | 67,500 kg |
| Average daily feed | 614 kg/day |
| Peak daily feed (near harvest) | 1,350 kg/day |
| Feed cost per cycle | $91,125 |
| Annual feed volume | 168.8 t/yr |
| Annual feed cost | $227,813 |
Who should use the shrimp feed requirement calculator?
Commercial shrimp farm owners, pond managers and investors planning or upgrading a pond, lined-pond or intensive shrimp system.
What decision does it support?
Whether the shrimp pond or system plan is sized and budgeted realistically before talking to equipment suppliers.
What inputs do you need?
- Post-larvae stocked (PL (thousands))
- Expected survival (%)
- Target harvest weight (g)
- Target FCR (kg feed / kg gain)
- Feeding rate near harvest (% of biomass/day)
- Production days per cycle (days)
- Cycles per year (cycles)
- Feed price ($/kg)
Is it for commercial farms or aquariums?
Built for commercial farms, hatcheries and projects. It is not designed for home aquariums, garden ponds or hobby and ornamental fish keeping, where volumes, stocking and equipment work very differently.
Technical checklist
Short answer: Daily feed, cycle feed volume and feed cost for a shrimp cycle. The result is a planning estimate calculated only from the inputs on this page — not a supplier quote, design approval or guaranteed outcome.
Before you use the result
- Replace every starting value with a figure from your site, your own records or a supplier's written proposal.
- Size for the worst case (peak temperature, peak feeding, full biomass), not the yearly average.
- Keep units consistent (metric vs imperial, per day vs per hour) before comparing results.
- Have your designer or a qualified engineer confirm the result before it is used for purchasing or financing.
- Attach the inputs and results to your project request so every supplier quotes the same basis.
Sources
No external dataset is built in. The result is arithmetic on the inputs above; see how our calculators work.
Stated assumptions (starting values)
These are only starting points. Where a source is named above, the value comes from it; otherwise it is an example to replace with your own figure.
- Post-larvae stocked: starts at 3000 PL (thousands)
- Expected survival: starts at 75 %
- Target harvest weight: starts at 20 g
- Target FCR: starts at 1.5 kg feed / kg gain
- Feeding rate near harvest: starts at 3 % of biomass/day
- Production days per cycle: starts at 110 days
- Cycles per year: starts at 2.5 cycles
- Feed price: starts at 1.35 $/kg
Checklist reviewed 13 October 2026. Ready to price it? Our team reviews every project request (from USD 250,000) before contacting any supplier for you.
Notes
- Total cycle feed is derived from harvest biomass × FCR, so it already assumes your survival and harvest weight targets are met.
- Peak daily feed is the number that sizes automatic feeders, blowers and feed storage — average daily feed will understate the requirement badly.
- Feeding rate as a percentage of biomass falls as shrimp grow; the near-harvest rate entered here is the design case, not the whole-cycle average.
- Planning estimates only. Actual feed use depends on management, water quality, feed quality and mortality events.
Worked example — 5 ha pond block at 60 PL/m²
- PL stocked
- 3,000,000 (3,000 thousand)
- Survival
- 75% → 2.25 million shrimp
- Harvest weight
- 20 g → 45,000 kg harvested
- FCR 1.5
- 67,500 kg cycle feed
- Peak feeding at 3%
- 1,350 kg/day near harvest
- Feed price $1.35/kg
- $91,125 per cycle
About 67.5 t of feed per cycle, peaking at 1.35 t/day and costing roughly $91,000.
At 2.5 cycles per year that is around 169 t of feed and $228,000 of annual feed spend for this block.
Why peak feed matters more than total feed
Total cycle feed sets your budget and working capital. Peak daily feed sets your hardware. A pond feeding 3% of biomass per day at harvest can be moving several hundred kilograms a day through feeders that spent the first six weeks of the cycle almost idle. Size automatic feeders, blower capacity, feed storage and labour rosters on the peak, then check that storage turnover keeps feed fresh in a hot, humid climate.
- Feeding rate falls as shrimp grow — near-harvest rate is the design case.
- Feed storage should cover peak demand plus a delivery-interval buffer.
- Automatic feeders reduce waste, but only if biomass estimation is disciplined.
- Feed trays remain the practical cross-check on any feeding regime.
Feed cost per kg harvested
The simplest and most useful derived figure in this tool is FCR × feed price. At FCR 1.5 and $1.35/kg feed, every kilogram of shrimp carries about $2.03 of feed. Improving FCR by 0.1 removes roughly $0.135 per kilogram, before any change in feed price. That is the arithmetic behind almost every feeding-equipment business case, and it is why feed management and aeration reliability are commercially linked: shrimp that are oxygen-stressed do not convert feed.
Turning the output into an RFQ
Take the peak daily feed figure to suppliers and ask them to quote feeder capacity, number of units per pond, distribution radius, hopper volume, control system and power draw against that number. Ask for the same three data points from everyone — kg/hour throughput, hopper capacity and kW — and the quotes become directly comparable instead of a set of incompatible brochures.
Daily feed, cycle feed volume and feed cost for a shrimp cycle. FAQs
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Related tools & guides
Other aquaculture calculators
Turn this estimate into a reviewed RFQ
Send the project specification privately. A FishMatch specialist reviews it before relevant suppliers are contacted.
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