RDER="0"> 0% of survivors are feeding post transfer, see diagram below. Thus if a farmer is feeding to tables and only a certain percentage are feeding, he is going to waste a lot of food. If the daily ration is split into a number of small meals the problem may not be too bad as only a small percentage are feeding so these fish will obtain their daily feed requirement. However as more come onto feeding there will be an increase in competition for available food and hierachies will evolve. It is possible that 'failed smolts' or 'pinheads' may be socially disadvantaged fish rather than ones of poor quality or perhaps diseased.

The differentials in time to feed post transfer may result in differing growth rates within the stock and it can be advantageous to feed two feed sizes to one cage several weeks after transfer. An example is shown in table at the foot of the screen.

Smolt feeding and post transfer

Post-transfer feeding regime

Weeks after transfer % feeders Pellet size
1 10 100% as before transfer (A)
2-3 50 100% as before transfer (A)
3-6 75 50% A / 50% next size up (B)
7-8 100 25% A / 75% B
9 onwards -- 100% B

om one to three meals per day for