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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338501
Research Project: Evaluating Nutritional Requirements, Identifying Alternative Ingredients and Improving the Production Environment for Hybrid and Channel Catfish Production

Location: Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit

Title: Effects of dietary protein concentrations and sources on production characteristics of pond-raised hybrid catfish fingerlings

Author
item LI, M - Mississippi State University
item WISE, D - Mississippi State University
item MISCHKE, C - Mississippi State University
item LUCAS, P - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/19/2019
Publication Date: 8/16/2016
Citation: Li, M.H., Wise, D.J., Mischke, C.C., Lucas, P.M. 2016. Effects of dietary protein concentrations and sources on production characteristics of pond-raised hybrid catfish fingerlings. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 78:295-300.

Interpretive Summary: A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to examine the growth performance of pond-raised hybrid catfish (female Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male Blue Catfish I. furcatus) fingerlings fed diets containing two levels of protein (35% or 32%) with two animal protein sources (fish meal or porcine meat, bone, and blood meal [PMBB]). Small hybrid catfish fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 2.0 g/fish (SD = 0.6) were stocked into 20 earthen ponds (0.04 ha) at a density of approximately 172,970 fish/ha, based on a sample count of 1,000 fish. The fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for 113 d. Total weight of feed fed, gross yield, feed conversion ratio (FCR), condition factor, and observed mortality were not significantly affected by either dietary protein concentration or animal protein source. Results demonstrate that dietary protein levels can be reduced from 35% to 32% without compromising fish growth and FCR for hybrid catfish fingerlings raised from 2 to 71 g in a growing season. Porcine meat, bone, and blood meal may completely replace fish meal in the diet. At current feed prices, a 32% protein diet with PMBB can provide considerable savings compared with the 35% protein diet with fish meal that is now used in commercial hybrid catfish fingerling production.

Technical Abstract: A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to examine the growth performance of pond-raised hybrid catfish (female Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male Blue Catfish I. furcatus) fingerlings fed diets containing two levels of protein (35% or 32%) with two animal protein sources (fish meal or porcine meat, bone, and blood meal [PMBB]). Small hybrid catfish fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 2.0 g/fish (SD = 0.6) were stocked into 20 earthen ponds (0.04 ha) at a density of approximately 172,970 fish/ha, based on a sample count of 1,000 fish. The fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for 113 d. Total weight of feed fed, gross yield, feed conversion ratio (FCR), condition factor, and observed mortality were not significantly affected by either dietary protein concentration or animal protein source. Results demonstrate that dietary protein levels can be reduced from 35% to 32% without compromising fish growth and FCR for hybrid catfish fingerlings raised from 2 to 71 g in a growing season. Porcine meat, bone, and blood meal may completely replace fish meal in the diet. At current feed prices, a 32% protein diet with PMBB can provide considerable savings compared with the 35% protein diet with fish meal that is now used in commercial hybrid catfish fingerling production.