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Postponed Feeding Does Not Substantially Reduce Production Expense during Pond Rearing of Hybrid Catfish Fry
Author(s) -
Mischke Charles C.,
Griffin Matt J.,
Li Menghe H.,
Wise David J.,
Greenway Terrence E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1080/15222055.2016.1259703
Subject(s) - catfish , ictalurus , stocking , biology , zoology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , fish farming , compensatory growth (organ) , fish meal , aquaculture , endocrinology , kidney
Production variables of hybrid catfish (Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus × Blue Catfish I. furcatus ) reared in nursery ponds and then stocked were compared between fish fed immediately after stocking (standard industry practice) and fish for which feeding was postponed after stocking. Ponds (0.04 ha) were stocked with 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.