UNDERSTANDING FEED CONVERSION RATE (FCR) IN FISH FARMING
UNDERSTANDING FEED CONVERSION RATE (FCR) IN FISH FARMING.*
I have
noticed that a lot of fish farmers do not understand, or are not aware
of what is called Feed Conversion Rate (FCR). Though simple, but
understanding FCR is pivotal to a fish farmer's success in this
aqua-venture. Fish farming is a serious business, and we should handle
it as such. It's not just about digging a pond, pouring fingerlings,
feeding them till the day of harvest. NO!
That's
one of the reasons we have a lot of irregularities and failures through
the aqua value chain. Remember SPUR! I have a lot to say, but the past
few weeks has been about keeping and dressing true dreams, the original
Eden's mandate, not tilling the wrong dreams, the devil's agenda. Break
up thy fallow grounds, till the LORD send His showers upon them.
But
then, let me use this opportunity to briefly enlighten us about FCR..
_*What is FCR? FCR is the rate by which feeds consumed by the FISH are
being converted to growth or flesh.*_ Someone would say, "why is it
important that we understand this FCR?" There are two sides to FCR. It's
either HIGH OR LOW. The irony is that, when it's high, your gain would
be low, but when it's low, you're very likely to smile to the bank.
What
does high or low FCR means for business? To better understand, let's
consider this scenario. Suppose a wife desiring to determine by
experiment who converts more food to flesh in the house decides to put
the husband of age 42 years in a room and the son of age 20 years in a
different room. Having done so, she starts giving them weighed balanced
diet over 10 years.
Who will likely consume more? Father or son? Father of course. 
Who will grow (add flesh) more? Father or son? Definitely son. 
Now,
we see that the father eats more but grow less, and the son eats less
and grow more. You see, the son eats less and grow more because he's
young. Hence, his FCR is low, which translates to good business. The
father eats more and grow less because he has reached the peak of his
growth. Hence, his FCR is high, which translates to bad business.
In
the case of fish farming, it's not just about the age, but there are
couple of FACTORS that can affect FCR. Below are some of them;
When
a fish farmer get the above keys right, he's bound to have a profitable
aqua-venture. It's paramount to keep close observation on the FCR. Some
fish farmers wonder why they always run at a loss, having spent so
much, only to make sale upon harvest and realized nothing in comparison
to what they had expended. Not even breaking-even. You know your
investment has hit the snag when your stock consumed a tonne and you
harvested half a tonne. Such outcome should be diagnosed and that's why
understanding FCR is important.
Don't
just FARM, do BUSINESS. Be a business man farmer with global outlook.
We are not just trying to make ends meet, we need people that will feed
the Nations. It's not just about making money, but to perpetually
replicate the Eden's mandate, to subdue hunger, to dominate poverty, to
multiply satisfaction of mankind, to replenish the earth for man is made
from earth. To keep and to dress. Keep close monitoring, keep records,
maintain good order, name the objects, and value required calculations.
The
great Aqua-chief, the person of *Dr Ekeledo* always say, "MINDSET is
KEY." Yea, mindset. If your mindset is salted, it will draw water.
Lately, ideas are dropping upon the table of my heart like dews dropping
upon mount Hermon. We'd need to rise, gather one force in different
vessels, to pull down the wrong systems choking and depleting the earth.
Then, we begin to reroute the ancient paths, and put the deeds in the
forefront.
Finally, before I round up, let me briefly show us how to calculate FCR.
Formulae: *Feed given/Animal weight gain.*
Suppose
you stocked 1000 pieces of catfish seedlings that weighed 100grams in a
pond. And for a period of 2 weeks they have consumed 5 bags. Then you
weighed them and found them to weigh 200grams each. What's the FCR for
that 2 weeks.
*Initial Biomass* = _Fish size x Quantity (100x1000 = 100,000 grams of flesh)._
*Final Biomass* = _200 x 1000 = 200,000grams of flesh._
*Weight gained* = _Initial Biomass - Final Biomass_ (100,000 - 200,000 = 100,000grams or 100kg flesh)_
*FCR* = _Feed given/Animal weight gain
*FEED GIVEN* = 5 bags x 15kg = 75kg
*FCR* = 75/100 = 0.75.
The
FCR above is low which means good business.. The above sample will help
guide you on how to calculate your FCR. It will help you know areas to
adjust.. Thanks for taking your time to read. God bless you!
Call/Whatsapp 08138889168. _Just a click away.._
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