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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180774
Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN CHANNEL CATFISH GROWTH AFTER TWO GENERATIONS OF SELECTION AND COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE TRAITS TO BLUE CATFISH I. FURCATUS AND HYBRID CATFISH I. PUNCTATUS X I. FURCATUS FINGERLINGS IN AN AQUARIUM RACK SYSTEM

Author
item Small, Brian

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2005
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Citation: Small, B.C. 2006. Improvements in channel catfish growth after two generations of selection and comparison of performance traits to blue catfish i. furcatus and hybrid catfish i. punctatus x i. furcatus fingerlings in an aquarium rack system. North American Journal of Aquaculture 68:92-98.

Interpretive Summary: The USDA103 line of channel catfish was developed and evaluated at the USDA-ARS Catfish Genetics Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, and jointly released under the name NWAC103 to commercial producers in 2001 and 2002 in cooperation with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center. After two generations of selectively breeding USDA103 catfish for rapid growth, a new experimental channel catfish line (USDA303) was developed. In the present study, growth performance of USDA103 and USDA303 channel catfish was compared to that of blue and hybrid catfish. The USDA303 catfish outgrew the USDA103, blue, and hybrid catfish in this study. Continued improvements in growth through selective breeding will lead to more efficient production for U.S. catfish farmers.

Technical Abstract: A 9-wk growth study was conducted comparing fingerling performance of two genetic groups (USDA103 and USDA303) of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, to blue, I. furcatus and hybrid catfish I. punctatus x I. furcatus, in an aquarium rack system (ARS). Fish of approximately 20 g were randomly selected from multifamily populations and acclimated to the ARS for 2 weeks prior to starting the 9-wk study. Differences in growth indices, feed and protein efficiency, nitrogen retention, whole-body proximate composition, and plasma cortisol levels were determined at the completion of the study. USDA303 channel catfish gained significantly more weight and consumed more feed than each of the other genetic groups. Feed and protein efficiency were similar for USDA103, USDA303, and hybrid catfish, but were lower for blue catfish. Nitrogen retention was highest for hybrid catfish and lowest for blue catfish. No differences in final body composition were observed between genetic groups when final weight was used as a covariate. Plasma cortisol levels after 9 wk ranged from 9.7 ng/mL in blue catfish to 24.5 ng/mL in USDA103 channel catfish, but were not significantly different between genetic groups. This study demonstrates improved growth of the USDA303 channel catfish after two generations of selection for increased body weight, and reports significant differences in performance among channel, blue, and hybrid catfish in an aquarium rack system.