Project Number: 6402-31000-008-01
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 22, 2005
End Date: Apr 30, 2010

Objective:
Develop and refine current best management practices for the production of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, at low stocking densities with specific focus on feeding practices; evaluate weight dependent, gender dependent, and processing dependent dress-out percentages of freshwater prawn and methods to transport effectively live freshwater prawns to market within 48h; and determine the most economical stocking density for the fingerling to stocker phase of the modular production system for farming of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus.

Approach:
Different organic fertilizers and combinations of organic fertilizers based upon carbon:nitrogen ratios will be evaluated in an attempt to increase the quality and quantity of natural productivity to serve as the principal food of freshwater prawn. Prawns will be separated by gender and processed for the calculation of gender-specific and weight-specific dressout percentages and for the determination of post freeze weight. Strategies will be developed to optimize conditions for transporting live chilled prawns. Stocker sized (12.6 cm) channel catfish will be grown at three stocking densities in earthen ponds and survival and harvest weight will be recorded.