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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #285874
Title: Effects of essential oil on performance characteristics, survival, processing characteristics, and fillet proximate composition of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Author
item Peterson, Brian
item Bosworth, Brian
item SANTOS, GONCALO - Biomin America, Inc
item BELTRAN, RUBEN - Biomin America, Inc
item LI, MENGHE - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2012
Publication Date: 2/21/2013
Citation: Peterson, B.C., Bosworth, B.G., Santos, G.A., Beltran, R., Li, M.H. 2013. Effects of essential oil on performance characteristics, survival, processing characteristics, and fillet proximate composition of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Aquaculture America Conference. P. 856.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We examined the effects of matrix encapsulated essential oils (Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE) on performance, survival, processing characteristics, and fillet proximate composition of channel catfish. Fifteen one-acre ponds at the Delta-Western Research Center, Indianola, MS were stocked with approximately 14,820 catfish per ha averaging 126 g/fish. Fish in control ponds were fed a 32% crude protein commercial floating diet while fish in test ponds were fed the same 32% crude protein commercial diet supplemented with Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE at 200 g/ton. The fish were fed once per day to apparent satiation for approximately six months. At the end of the six-month study, ponds were harvested by seining and draining; all the fish from each pond were weighed while three groups of 100 fish were counted and weighed. Body composition (fat, ash, and protein) was determined on ten fish from each pond. Thirty fish from each pond were processed to determine carcass, fillet, and nugget yield. There was no significant difference in the amount of feed fed (19,631 vs 19,274 kg/ha) or the amount of weight gained (516 vs 548 g/fish) between the Control and Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE fed fish. FCR was also similar between the two groups (2.1 vs 2.0). Net yield (9,329 vs 9,430 kg/ha) and survival (99.2 vs 99.2%) were also similar. Processing results showed that carcass, fillet, and nugget yield were similar between the Control and Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE fed fish. Fillet proximate analysis revealed that fillet fat was significantly lower (31.3% vs 35.9%) (P = 0.0038) while fillet protein tended to be a little higher (62.4 vs 61.2) (P < 0.10) in treated fish. The amount of ash was similar between treatments. Although the current study did not show significant differences in performance characteristics between treated and untreated food-sized channel catfish, there was a significant reduction in the amount of fillet fat in the treated fish. Improved fillet composition (higher protein and lower lipid) is of commercial importance. Survival was excellent in this study and thus the effects of essential oils on disease resistance are not known in channel catfish.