Shrimp FCR Calculator — formula, ranges, and how to read the number
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) is the single most decision-critical metric in shrimp farming. It tells you how many kilograms of feed your pond is consuming per kilogram of biomass gained — and on a 1-hectare Vannamei pond at 60-tonne yield, every 0.1 of FCR is worth roughly ₹1.2 lakh in feed cost.
The formula
FCR = total feed given (kg) ÷ biomass gained (kg). Biomass gained = (current ABW × current survival × pond stocking) − (initial weight × initial stocking). Worked example: 1 ha pond stocked at 50 PL/m² (500,000 PL at 0.001 kg). At DOC 90, ABW = 18 g, survival = 82%. Biomass = 0.018 × 410,000 = 7,380 kg. Total feed given = 9,000 kg. FCR = 9,000 ÷ 7,380 = 1.22.
Target FCR by DOC (Vannamei, intensive)
DOC 0-30: 0.9-1.1 (small feed sizes, low waste). DOC 30-60: 1.1-1.3. DOC 60-90: 1.3-1.5. DOC 90-120: 1.5-1.7. Anything above 1.8 by harvest signals over-feeding, low survival, sub-optimal DO, or disease. Anything below 1.0 mid-cycle usually means under-feeding (and slow growth) rather than great efficiency.
What to do when FCR drifts above target
1) Verify your survival estimate — most farms over-estimate by 5-10 percentage points. 2) Check DO at feeding time; below 4.0 mg/L shrimp eat less. 3) Reduce daily ration by 10% and re-measure in 5 days. 4) Inspect for white-spot, EHP or running-mortality syndrome — disease silently kills biomass while feed stays constant. 5) Confirm feed quality and storage humidity; spoiled feed shows up as FCR drift before any other signal.
Automate it
CAMARON's FCR engine runs this calculation continuously from your daily logs, alerts you when the rolling 7-day FCR drifts above your DOC-band target, and suggests the exact daily ration cut needed. Built into the free plan from your first pond.
Ready to try it on your farm?
Free for your first pond. No card required. Works offline.
Run FCR live on your pondFrequently asked questions
Is FCR the same for Vannamei and Monodon?
No. Monodon tends to run 1.4-1.8 at harvest because of slower growth and lower stocking. Vannamei intensive targets 1.3-1.6. Use the species-specific band, not a generic number.
Does FCR include nursery / PL biomass?
Cycle FCR usually starts from stocking weight, not nursery weight. Hatchery FCR is tracked separately — measured nauplii → PL on weight gained per kg artemia + dry feed.
What's a 'good' farm-level FCR?
Across all ponds, all cycles, weighted by biomass: under 1.5 is excellent for Vannamei intensive. 1.5-1.7 is average. Above 1.8 is a feed-cost emergency.