Firm develops feed formulation for lapu-lapu culture

Lapu-lapu or grouper is a high value fish that is commonly seen in specialty restaurants. The fish is known for its delicious taste and white meat and is being sought for its high market value.

The common species of Lapu-Lapu are the Ephinephelus coiedes (orange-spotted) and E. malabaricus (black spotted), and these can be raised in cages or ponds. In culturing both species, the conventional feeds used is trash fish. The use of formulated feeds, which is now highly recommended by experts, is not popular yet to farmers. This can be attributed on two dilemmas: the farmers are used to the traditional trash fish and have no opportunity to try new techniques; and because there’s no feed company in the country that produce formulated feeds.

Now, both problems are answered. Santeh Feeds Corporation, the very first feed company to attain ISO 9002 Certification in the Philippines is now the first in producing Tateh lapu-lapu feeds. This formulated feed offers several advantages over the traditional trash fish, which include year round supply, and ease of handling. Moreover, diseases that are associated with the use of trash fish are minimized with the use of formulated feeds and proper management. Santeh also offers technical assistance to farmers, contract growing arrangements and special buy-back agreement. These are being done to make sure the technology and the knowledge are better transmitted to the farmers.

Tateh lapu-lapu feed is the result of several years of research done by the company on the nutrition and actual grow-out of lapu-lapu. The feed gives better FCR range of 2.0-2.5 for an average body weight of 500 grams, compared to trash fish which gives only 6.0-10.

Culture period with formulated feed varies depending on the initial size of fish used. For tinies (0.5 grams), culture period is seven to seven and a half months for 450-500 grams. While for juvenile with average weight of 20 grams, culture period is five to six months for the same fish sizes. With a reasonable feed cost of P82-102.5/kg, growing lapu-lapu with the use of formulated feed is surely a lucrative business venture.