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Performance and food intake of bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) during the post-metamorphic stage in the "amphifarm" system

The objective of this work was to evaluate (under field conditions), the performance of bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) raised on commercial frog farms using the "Amphifarm" system and, at the same time, to estimate the daily food intake in order to obtain a reference table for feeding the animals. The results showed a large range in productivity, which varied according to the producer's capacity for assimilating technology and especially for handling animals in a standardized manner, in order to achieve a balance point in production. The results found on the observation units (approximately 250 thousand animals) showed the following indexes: mortality(%) ranged from 0.5 to 39.5, the average being 12.0; weigh gain (g/day) ranged from 0.4 to 2.5, the average being 1.2; and feed conversion ranged from 0.9 to 2.5, the average being 1.4:1. The paper presents a table with estimated intakes as percentages of body weight to allow calculation of daily food offer.

performance index; bullfrog; frog production; "Amphifarm" system; feeding table


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