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Hog Houses Possible Aquaculture Option By Martin Ross When Jeff Shaw made the move from hauling carpet cleaning equipment to salt-water shrimp "ranching," he raised a few eyebrows.
Now the Alton man, who has expanded his venture with a retail seafood outlet, is exploring an intriguing proposition for income-stressed swine producers: Conversion of hog confinement pits into largescale tanks for freshwater shrimp, or prawn.
A Southern Illinois University aquaculture specialist noted a few growers already are making a move from pork to other "white" meats such as tilapia, catfish, or hybrid striped bass.
"The market for shrimp is always out there - there's always someone looking for fresh shrimp," said Shaw, whose Lazy S Shrimp Ranch harvested its second crop this year. "There are suppliers up in Chicago; there are supliers in St. Louis. I could probably sell 4,000, maybe 9,000 pounds of shrimp a week just to suppliers in Chicago."
SIU's Dan Selock cited at least two Southern Illinois producers attempting to convert swine facilities for fish production. One family last week reported stocking its first "crop" of catfish fingerlings in lined pits.
Selock agreed cleanup of residual manure in confinement pits is a major concern for the prospective fish farmer. But he believes with thorough scraping, steam cleaning, and sealing of pits with specilized aquacultural paints or epoxies, growers can create a suitable environment for aquatic species. Rough concrete surfaces can injure fish, he warned.
"If porous concrete is sealed properly with a paint or epoxy, I think it's fine," Selock said. "If it's just bare, where ammonia that may be trapped in small pits and crevices could leach into the water, you may have a problem."
"If you're raising tilapia, high ammonia is not as much of a problem as if you're raising other species such as hybrid striped bass. Tilapia are very tolerant. If a farmer just doesn't think he can get that concrete scraped and steam-cleaned to a point where paint or epozy will seal it, he could look at purchasing a rubber or plastic liner."
Selock has consulted with AquaRanch Industries, Ringger Foods Aquaculture Division, a Gridley firm that markets aquaculture equipment (see accompanying story: "Gridley Firm Combines Growing Markets"), on development of systems specifically tailored for converted hog houses. Hog buildings already are equipped with drainage systems that can accommodate recycling of water supplies.
Designing a filtration system to process aquacultural wastes is a major challenge in hog house conversion. Economics also is a prime consideration: Conventional indoor tilapia production costs an estimated $1.27 per pound, and tilapia's current market price is only $1.10 - $1.90 per pound.
Thus, tilapia producers may opt to reduce costs by modifying their own facilities or by applying paints or epoxies to pits rather than purchasing commercial equipment or liners. At an estimated per-pound production cost of $1.50 and a market price closer to $2.50, hybrid striped bass may offer a profit margin that justifies major retooling.
Selock reserved judgement on the concept of hog house shrimp production, and urged newcomers to carefully weigh the risks and requirements of raising "very delicate, sensitive" species such as shrimp or prawn.
Shaw stressed his own operation reflects "hard-knock learning": A carbon dioxide problem that Shaw has since addressed limited second crop yields, and the shrimp rancher noted he has greatly expanded his filtration capabilities.
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