Evaluation of Low‐protein Alternative Diets for Pond‐raised Hybrid Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus × Ictalurus furcatus |
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| Authors: | Menghe H Li Edwin H Robinson Penelope M Lucas Brian G Bosworth |
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| Institution: | 1. Mississippi State University, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, PO Box 197, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, USA;2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, PO Box 38, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, USA |
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| Abstract: | A study was conducted to evaluate low‐protein traditional or alternative diets for pond‐raised hybrid catfish, Ictalurus punctatus × Ictalurus furcatus. Three 24% protein diets containing decreasing levels of soybean meal (30, 20, and 15%) and increasing levels of cottonseed meal and corn germ meal were compared with a 28% protein control diet. Hybrid catfish fingerlings (mean initial weight = 71 g/fish) were stocked into 20 earthen ponds (0.04 ha) at a density of 14,826 fish/ha with five ponds per dietary treatment. Fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for a 191‐d growing season. There were no significant differences in total diet fed, net yield, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, or fillet proximate nutrient composition among dietary treatments (P ≥ 0.10). However, regression analysis showed for fish fed 24% protein diets there was a linear increase in FCR as soybean meal levels decreased (P = 0.06). Compared with fish fed the 28% protein control diet, fish fed 24% protein diets had lower carcass and fillet yield. Results demonstrate a 24% protein alternative diet containing 20% soybean meal may be substituted for 28% protein diets for hybrid catfish during food fish production. |
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