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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340490
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: Postponed feeding does not substantially reduce production expense during pond rearing of hybrid catfish fry

Author
item MISCHKE, CHARLES - Mississippi State University
item GRIFFIN, MATT - Mississippi State University
item LI, MENGHE - Mississippi State University
item WISE, DAVID - Mississippi State University
item GREENWAY, TERRENCE - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2016
Publication Date: 2/14/2017
Citation: Mischke, C., Griffin, M., Li, M., Wise, D., Greenway, T. 2017. Postponed feeding does not substantially reduce production expense during pond rearing of hybrid catfish fry. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 79:135-139.

Interpretive Summary: Production variables of hybrid catfish (ChannelCatfish Ictalurus punctatus×BlueCatfish I. furcatus) reared in nursery ponds and then stocked were compared between fish fed immediately after stocking (standard industry practice) and fish forwhich feedingwas postponed after stocking. Ponds (0.04 ha) were stockedwith swim-up fry at 10,000 fish/pond (250,000 fish/ha). At 2 weeks poststocking, fish in the postponed feeding treatment were significantly smaller than fish in the standard feeding protocol. Therefore, all ponds began receiving commercial diets after 2 weeks. At 2 weeks poststocking and continuing through 5 weeks poststocking, the average individual fish length and weight was greater for the standard feeding protocol than for the postponed feeding protocol. At harvest, there were no differences in production variables between the two feeding protocols. Unlike a previous study with Channel Catfish fry, where feed was withheld for 6 weeks without compromising production, noticeable deficiencies in hybrid catfish fry growth were observed after only 2 weeks of feed restriction. However, compensatory growth was observed, and postponed feeding did not result in differences in production variables observed 6 weeks poststocking. At the feeding rate and feed prices during this study,we observed feed savings of only US$38.75/ha by postponing feeding for 2 weeks.

Technical Abstract: Production variables of hybrid catfish (ChannelCatfish Ictalurus punctatus×BlueCatfish I. furcatus) reared in nursery ponds and then stocked were compared between fish fed immediately after stocking (standard industry practice) and fish forwhich feedingwas postponed after stocking. Ponds (0.04 ha) were stockedwith swim-up fry at 10,000 fish/pond (250,000 fish/ha). At 2 weeks poststocking, fish in the postponed feeding treatment were significantly smaller than fish in the standard feeding protocol. Therefore, all ponds began receiving commercial diets after 2 weeks. At 2 weeks poststocking and continuing through 5 weeks poststocking, the average individual fish length and weight was greater for the standard feeding protocol than for the postponed feeding protocol. At harvest, there were no differences in production variables between the two feeding protocols. Unlike a previous study with Channel Catfish fry, where feed was withheld for 6 weeks without compromising production, noticeable deficiencies in hybrid catfish fry growth were observed after only 2 weeks of feed restriction. However, compensatory growth was observed, and postponed feeding did not result in differences in production variables observed 6 weeks poststocking. At the feeding rate and feed prices during this study,we observed feed savings of only US$38.75/ha by postponing feeding for 2 weeks.