Objective: This study conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) farming operations in a commercial farm in Saraburi Province, Thailand, to evaluate the economic and zootechnical effects of the Tilavac S3 vaccine. The primary goal was to assess the impact of vaccination on key performance indicators and financial outcomes compared to a non-vaccinated control group under real-world field conditions.
Methods: Two batches of Red Tilapia, sourced from the same supplier, were cultured under identical cage-in-river systems. One batch was vaccinated with Tilavac S3, while the other served as a control. Throughout the culture cycles (124 days for the vaccinated group, 126 for the control), data were collected on survival rate, mean body weight, yield, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), and total harvested biomass. A detailed financial analysis was also performed, comparing input costs (feed, seed) against the total value of the harvested biomass to determine overall profitability.
Results: The vaccinated batch demonstrated significantly superior performance across all key metrics. The survival rate was substantially higher in the vaccinated group (95%) compared to the control group (81%). This led to a 27.4% greater total weight harvested (3,752.40 kg vs. 2,945.60 kg) and a correspondingly higher yield (37.52 kg/m³ vs. 29.46 kg/m³). The vaccinated fish also showed improved feed efficiency, with a lower FCR of 1.55 compared to the control’s 1.71. Despite higher total costs due to increased feed consumption for a larger biomass, the vaccinated batch generated a net profit of 45,908.90 THB, over 200% higher than the 15,230.10 THB profit from the control batch.
Conclusion: The findings of this field study unequivocally demonstrate that the use of Tilavac S3 in Red Tilapia aquaculture provides significant economic and operational benefits. The initial investment in vaccination leads to enhanced survival, improved feed efficiency, and greater biomass production. These improvements translate directly into substantially higher profitability and operational stability, presenting a compelling business case for the adoption of this vaccination strategy to enhance the sustainability and financial success of commercial tilapia farming.