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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #282506
Title: Evaluation of corn gluten feed and cottonseed meal as partial replacements for soybean meal and corn in diets for pond raised hybrid catfish Ictalurus punctatus I. furcatus

Author
item LI, MENGHE - Mississippi State University
item ROBINSON, EDWIN - Mississippi State University
item OBERLE, DANIEL - Mississippi State University
item LUCAS, PENELOPE - Mississippi State University
item Bosworth, Brian

Submitted to: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2011
Publication Date: 2/1/2012
Citation: Li, M.H., Robinson, E.H., Oberle, D.F., Lucas, P.M., Bosworth, B.G. 2012. Evaluation of corn gluten feed and cottonseed meal as partial replacements for soybean meal and corn in diets for pond-raised hybrid catfish, Ictalurus punctatus I. furcatus. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 43:107-113.

Interpretive Summary: Soybean meal has been the main protein source and corn has been the primary energy source used in catfish diets. However, prices for these traditional dietary ingredients have increased dramatically in recent years. Thus, there has been considerable interest to find less expensive, alternative feedstuffs for use in catfish diets. Corn gluten feed (CGF) and cottonseed meal (CSM) are currently competitively priced compared with soybean meal and corn. Use of a combination of these two ingredients would reduce feed cost for catfish production. Five 28% protein diets containing various combinations of CGF and CSM were evaluated in a pond study with hybrid catfish. Results show that CGF at levels up to 30% of the diet at a low CSM level (10% of diet), and a combination of CGF and CSM up to 25% each do not affect physical quality (percentages floatability and feed dust) of the diet. Hybrid catfish can efficiently utilize these diets without adversely affecting diet consumption, weight gain, FCR, and fillet proximate nutrient composition. However, a combination of CGF and CSM at 20% each and above reduced carcass yield of the fish. Use of a combination of CGF and CSM in catfish diets would reduce diet cost.

Technical Abstract: This study examined the use of corn gluten feed (CGF) and cottonseed meal (CSM) to partially replace soybean meal and corn in diets for pond-raised hybrid catfish, Ictalurus punctatus × I. furcatus. Five 28% protein diets containing various combinations of CGF and CSM were evaluated. Fingerling hybrid catfish (mean initial weight: 45 g/fish) were stocked into 25, 0.04-ha ponds at a rate of 14,826 fish/ha. Fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for a 179-d growing season. CGF at 30% of the diet (10% CSM) and a combination of CGF and CSM up to 25% each did not affect physical quality (percentages floatability and feed dust) of the diet. No significant differences were observed in total amount of diet fed, net yield, diet consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, and fillet proximate nutrient composition among fish fed various diets. Results show that hybrid catfish can utilize CGF at levels up to 30% of the diet (10% CSM), and a combination of CGF and CSM up to 25% each without significantly affecting growth, diet consumption, FCR, and fillet proximate nutrient composition. However, a combination of CGF and CSM at 20% each and above reduced carcass yield.