Freshwater Shrimp On- Farm Demonstrations

      Freshwater shrimp culture has recently become increasingly popular in many temperate regions in the United States.  Current enterprise budgets, developed by the University of Kentucky's Department of Agriculture Economics, estimate net annual profits to range from $2000 to $5000.00 per acre.  Freshwater shrimp are believed to have great potential for diversification of Ohio farms.  They have a short growing season (June 1 - September 15th) that fits in well with other farm activities, require little labor (20 minutes/day feeding and one long harvest day), and occupy underutilized existing water resources. 

      The objectives of this study and demonstration were:

1)      Determine the feasibility of freshwater shrimp culture in Northern Ohio.

2)      Evaluate the impact of latitude and water temperature on the growth of freshwater shrimp in Ohio.

2)      Provide cooperators with the assistance and training they need to evaluate the profitability, social acceptability and environmental soundness of a non-traditional livestock crop.

In March, the entire shrimp team underwent training to enhance the success of the operations.  The group received training in shrimp pond construction and shrimp culture.  The Aquaculture specialist provided each member of the shrimp team with a notebook containing pertinent fact sheets and information on the culture and marketing of freshwater shrimp.

Pond preparation began in March 2003.  All ponds were to be drained or pumped dry, limed if necessary. Ponds were refilled in preparation for stocking June 2003.  Cooperators were to fertilize ponds according to recommendations from the Specialists.  Shrimp were stocked as soon as water temperatures are consistently above 65 degrees F.  Cooperators fed their shrimp once or twice a day for 100-110 days.  Demonstration sites were open for viewing by other interested individuals and field days as arranged by the county agent.  Shrimp were harvested in September 2003, before water temperatures reach 60 degrees F.  Production data collected  includes, total harvest weight, average individual weight, feed conversion ration, and survival.  The relationship between latitude, water temperature and shrimp production will be statistically analyzed.

Each Cooperator farmer worked with the agent and shrimp team to develop a marketing plan for their shrimp prior to harvest.  Some Cooperators may be able to market to local restaurants, fall festivals, farmers markets or Asian markets.  Cooperators  kept all proceeds from the sale of shrimp raised on their farm.

 Rationale:

       Freshwater shrimp are believed to have great potential for diversification of Ohio farms.  They have a short growing season (June 1^st-September 15^th) that fits in well with other farm activities, require little labor (20 minutes/day feeding and one long harvest day), and occupy underutilized existing water resources.  Research conducted at the OSU South Centers in Piketon Ohio during the 2002 growing season evaluated the feasibility of freshwater shrimp culture in southern Ohio.  Nine ponds in southern Ohio were involved in an on-farm demonstration of freshwater shrimp cultivation techniques.  Seven of the nine ponds met production goals of approximately 1000 pounds per acre of shrimp in a 110-day culture period.  The research has attracted a lot of attention with the Centers receiving hundreds of phone calls from farmers interested in exploring freshwater shrimp as a diversification effort for their farms.  While results are available for farmers in Southern Ohio, many farmers in the Northern districts of Ohio were curious as to whether freshwater shrimp could be successfully cultured in their area too.  The answer, so far, has been that we don’t know.

General Information:

      The freshwater shrimp, or more properly freshwater prawn, is a member of a large group of freshwater crustaceans found in many parts of the world.  Most aquaculture efforts have concentrated on the Giant Malaysian Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, which is native to southern Asia.  Culture efforts in the U.S. were initiated in Hawaii in the 1960's, South Carolina in the 1970's, and Mississippi in the 1980's.  Despite these efforts, substantial concentrated production of this species has not developed.  However, over the past five years, interest in production of this animal has again increased due to higher demand for shrimp products, reduced supplies of shrimp (especially large sizes), and increases in production rates for freshwater shrimp based on new management and production practices.  Other factors producing increased interest in production include identified markets for fresh and live shrimp in inland locations, the growing trend among consumers wanting to know where their food was produced, and the discovery that freshwater shrimp actually grow more rapidly at cooler temperatures.

      Research on temperate culture of freshwater shrimp in the U.S. was initiated at Kentucky State University in 1990 and the results have led to the establishment of several operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.  During this time of development in other states, freshwater shrimp were not cultured in Ohio because the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) restricted their culture.  In 2000, the Ohio Aquaculture Association (OAA) worked with the ODNR to reevaluate the species and it was subsequently moved to the unrestricted aquaculture species list.  In 2001, several producers in Ohio successfully raised the first crops of freshwater shrimp.

      The most recent advancement in freshwater shrimp culture has been the ability to significantly improve production rates by the addition of artificial substrate to a pond.  Studies in Kentucky have shown that adding PVC construction fencing for substrate can significantly increase the pounds of shrimp produced per acre without reducing average size of shrimp.  These studies have also shown an improvement in feed conversion rates.  Shrimp are benthic animals that demonstrate territorial behavior.  Adding artificial substrates such as bird mesh netting or snow fencing to the ponds can substantially increase pond yields and improve survival. 

    Funds for this project were provided by the OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program and Ohio Sea Grant.

Telephone:740-289-2071 or 1-800-297-2072(in state)   FAX: 740-289-4591

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