The use of probiotics in larval whiteleg shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) production: A marginal analysis of bioeconomic feasibility

Abstract

Sustainable production in aquaculture requires integrating new technologies that maximize economic benefits while minimizing environmental impacts. In shrimp production, probiotics improve larval survival and reduce environmental impacts, but their use also increases total production costs. In this study, the economic feasibility of using probiotics in larval whiteleg shrimp production was assessed, as well as the optimal concentration to maximize the economic performance of a laboratory for larval whiteleg shrimp rearing. A bioeconomic model was developed based on the laboratory production data. Then, a marginal approach was applied to identify the optimal economic points. Probiotics led to a significant increase in survival, reducing unit production costs by 44%. However, they were also associated with a 6% increase in total production costs. Thus, profitability also depends on the capability of the laboratory to sustain this type of investment. At a constant price of 2.89 USD, thousand‐1 postlarvae‐1 2.96 x 1010 colony forming units (CFU) m‐3 day‐1 of homemade probiotic inoculum optimized the economic performance of the laboratory, increasing net benefits by 26% for each production cycle. A dosage increase of up to 6.8 x 1010 CFU/m3 day‐1 increased survival even more, but the economic benefits obtained with the use of probiotics were equal to those obtained without them.

Individual and synergistic effect of highly diluted bioactive compounds and probiotic actinomycetes on the growth and survival of juvenile shrimp Penaeus vannamei

“…The gradual and progressive resistance that various farm animals have to antibiotics represents a critical and serious global threat to human health due to the use and abuse of these chemotherapeutic agents in producing aquatic food (Hasan et al 2020). Probiotics offer several biological benefits; they reduce the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria through competitive exclusion (Zorriehzahra et al 2016) and improve survival (Peñalosa-Martinell et al 2021). Probiotic bacteria are supplied live and can colonize the digestive tract, modify intestinal microbiota, and improve the immune response (Hoseinifar et al 2018).…”

Synbiotic Agents and Their Active Components for Sustainable Aquaculture: Concepts, Action Mechanisms, and Applications

“…A Probiotic application in larval whiteleg shrimp (L. vannamei) resulted in a 6% increase in total production costs. However, the result of a higher survival rate contributed to a 44% reduction in unit production costs [297]. Studies on the feasibility of synbiotics in aquaculture have consistently shown improvement in economic efficiency compared with control diets, especially when aquatic animals have been under stress conditions such as high stocking density [298] or during the reproductive period [299].…”

Harnessing the potentialities of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, paraprobiotics, and postbiotics for shrimp farming

“…From the perspective of aquaculture, probiotics can be administered directly to the rearing water or supplemented in feed. These adjuncts potentially induce beneficial effects on animal health through the direct modulation of host‐associated factors or via the indirect enhancement of the ambient environment quality 67,68 (see Section 2.3).…”

“…vannamei larvae, 44% reduction in the unit production cost was accompanied by 6% increment in the total production expenses. The profitability greatly relied on the financial capability of the farm to sustain the investment throughout the production cycles 67 . Since the financial consideration is one key factor limiting the large‐scale implementation, besides studying the efficacy of the additive, comparing the economic sustainability with other available strategies is necessary 246 .…”