Effects of Dietary Protein Concentration and Feeding Regimen on Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Production |
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| Authors: | Menghe H Li Edwin H Robinson Daniel F Oberle Brian G Bosworth |
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| Institution: | Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776 USA; USDA/ARS Catfish Genetics Research Unit, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776 USA |
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| Abstract: | A factorial experiment was conducted to examine effects of dietary protein concentration (24, 28, 32, or 36%) and feeding regimen (feeding once daily or every other day EOD]) on channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, production in earthen ponds. Compared with fish fed daily, fish fed EOD had lower feed consumption, weight gain, net production, and percentage of market‐size fish but had high feed efficiency and required fewer hours of aeration. Fish fed EOD also had lower carcass yield, fillet yield, and visceral and fillet fat. There was a significant interaction between dietary protein and feeding regimen for weight gain. No significant differences were observed in weight gain of fish fed daily with diets containing various levels of protein, whereas weight gain of fish fed EOD with a 24% protein diet was lower than those fed EOD with higher protein diets. Results suggest that response of channel catfish to dietary protein levels depends on whether the fish were fed daily or EOD. Feeding EOD to satiation improved feed efficiency and required less aeration compared with fish fed daily but also reduced net production and processing yield; therefore, EOD feeding should be examined closely before implementation. |
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