SFR | FCR | SGR | GF3 | FCE | BWG | RGR | PER | FI:FO | ADG | B-FCR | E-FCR | K
Summary of parameters and terms used in aquaculture
FCR: Feed Conversion Rate
FCR represents kilograms of feed needed to produce one kilogram of fish.
- FCR= Feed given / Animal weight gain
SGR: Specific Growth Rate
SFR is a coefficient that measures the percentage increase in fish weight per day.
SGR=(Ln(Wt)-Ln(W0))*100/t(d)
- W0[g]= the weight in grams at the beginning of the period
- Wt [g]= the weight in grams at the end of the period
- t[d]= period, expressed in number of days
- Ln = natural logarithm
SFR: Specific Feeding Rate
SFR corresponds to the amount of food eaten per day and expressed as a percentage of the fish’s body weight.
GF3: Thermal Growth Coefficient
Measure of daily growth in a given period that takes into account temperature.
GF3 = [(W2(1/3) – W1(1/3) ) / ºD ] x 1000
- W2 = weight (g) at time 2 (end of period)
- W1 = weight (g) at time 1 (beginning of period)
- ºD = Degree-days, sum of daily temperatures in °C between t1 and t2 (or duration in days x average temperature in period)
FCE: Feed Conversion Efficiency
The efficiency of a feed is normally measured by the amount necessary to produce a unit weight of fish.
FCE= Wt of food presented / Wt of animal produced
- Wt = means the weight in a certain period
BWG: Body Weight Gain - PG: Peso Ganado
PG (g) = Final weight – initial weight
RGR: Relative Growth Rate
RGR (%) = Final weight – initial weight / initial weight
PER: Protein Efficiency Ratio
PER (%) = Increase in biomass in the tank / total protein ingested
FI:FO: Fish In Fish Out
Amount of wild fish needed to produce 1 kg of aquaculture fish
FI:FO (%) = FCR x (% fish meal + % fish oil in feed)
ADG: Average Daily Gain
Growth rate
Average daily gain (g) = body weight gain (g) / number of days
Survival Rate
Survival rate % = number of surviving animals at the end of the production cycle / total number of animals at the beginning of the cycle * 100
B-FCR: Biological Feed Conversion Rate
Takes into account feed used, and all Biomass generated, including lost Biomass.
E-FCR = Amount of feed (kg) / (Biomass2 – Biomass1)
- Biomass1= Biomass at the beginning of the period
- Biomass2 = Biomass at the end of the period
- Lost Biomass= Biomass lost during the period (mortality, elimination)
Stocking Density
Total fish Biomass per unit of tank volume
D = W / V
- D = Stocking density (kg/m3)
- W = Biomass (kg)
- V = volume (m3)
Fork Length
Fork length (also referred to as length or standard length) is the length (cm) of a fish from the tip of its nose to the middle of the tail fork.
K: Condition factor
Fork length (also referred to as length or standard length) is the length (cm) of a fish from the tip of its nose to the middle of the tail fork.
Condition factor (K) is an indicator of the leanness/fattiness of a fish, which is generally regarded as an indicator of fish´s health. If K is less than 1, fish are considered thin or poorly nourished, for higher than 1 levels, the relation of K to fattiness is usually species dependent.
K = [(W x 100) / L3]
- K = Condition factor
- W = weight (g)
- L = length (cm)
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