Shrimp Farm Record Keeping: What to Track Daily, Weekly, and Per Cycle

Farm records help managers learn from each pond instead of relying on memory. The FAO record-keeping guidance for aquaculture highlights feed distribution, water quality, production, and stock records as tools for commercial management.

For shrimp farms, the highest-value records are usually feed use, feed stock, water quality, sampling, mortality, treatments, harvest, and costs. These records become more powerful when they are tied to the same pond and cycle.

Daily records should answer: what was fed, what was observed, what changed in water quality, and whether mortality or abnormal behavior appeared. Feed records should also identify feed type or batch where possible, because poor feed quality or inconsistent handling can affect results.

Water records should include time of measurement because readings such as dissolved oxygen and pH move through the day. A morning reading and an afternoon reading can tell different stories.

Weekly records should summarize MBW, ADG, biomass estimate, survival estimate, feed consumption, and water trend. Cycle records should include stocking, harvest, cost, revenue, feed total, treatments, and final notes on what changed.