Automated feeding systems, such as timer based, or passive acoustic feedback have transformed the shrimp industry by increasing growth rates and reducing days to market. This has allowed for improved feed management of advanced juveniles. However, improvements in feed management prior to the use of automated systems have received limited attention. Review of historical data for feed input during the first 30 days of culture at our facility, revealed a correlation with feed inputs and growth. These results have stimulated our desire to evaluate feed management in the first 4 weeks of production. The current study utilized sixteen (0.1) ha ponds stocked at 25 shrimp m-2 in which four feeding treatments were evaluated. A standard feeding protocol (SFP) from historical data was served as a baseline while three additional treatments evaluated SFP + 15%, SFP + 30%, and SFP - 30%. Treatments were hand-fed with a 1.5 mm commercial diet (40% protein and 9% lipid) four times a day during the first two weeks. During the third and fourth weeks a 2.4 mm shortcut (35% protein, 6% lipid) feed was administered via a timer feeder twelve times per day using AQ1 feeders in timer mode. From 30 days onwards, a 2.4 mm (35% protein, 7% lipid) feed was given ad libitum by using a passive acoustic feeding system from AQ1. At the end of the 40 days, ponds were sampled to determine mean weight and their variability. SFP + 30% presented the highest mean weight (9.42 g), followed by SFP (8.89 g), SFP - 30% (8.28 g), and SFP + 15% (8.31 g), albeit there were no statistical differences (p>0.05). Additionally, survival was back-calculated as 82.07%, 81.29%, 86,08%, and 87.48%, respectively. Subsequently, the shrimp were reared on standard operational procedures. To the conclusion of the 11-weeks of pond culture, results revealed no differences in production metrics among treatments (Table 1). These results provide valuable information to commercial producers using alternative feeding technologies.