Production and Processing Trait Comparisons of Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, and Their Hybrids Grown in Earthen Ponds

Abstract

Fingerling HS‐5 channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, NWAC 103 channel catfish, D&B blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, HS‐5 female channel × D&B male blue catfish F1 hybrids, and NWAC 103 female channel × D&B male blue catfish F1 hybrids were stocked into twenty‐five 0.04‐ha earthen ponds at 12,500 fish/ha and grown for 277 d. Fish were fed daily at rates from 1.0 to 3.0% biomass based on feeding activity and temperature and adjusted weekly assuming a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.8 and 100% survival. At harvest, 40 fish from each pond were sampled, and all other counted and weighed. Mean survival, growth rate indexes (a), FCR, and skin‐on fillet percentages were not significantly different. Mean harvest weights and net production were higher for HS‐5 channel and its hybrid than for the NWAC 103 channel, NWAC 103 hybrid, and D&B blue catfish, partially because of their larger mean stocking weights. D&B blue catfish was more uniform in size than NWAC 103 channel and NWAC 103 hybrid. D&B blue catfish was the easiest to seine. HS‐5 hybrids and NWAC 103 hybrids had lower mean head percentage and a better processing yield than their parent channel catfish.

Effects of Winter Feeding on Growth, Body Composition, and Processing Traits of Co‐Cultured Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, and Channel Catfish×Blue Catfish Hybrids

“…are mobilized and utilized for energy needs; thus, the head weight expressed as a proportion of whole-body weight increases in unfed fish. The same pattern of gender, genetic group, and gender × genetic group interaction effects on head yield has also been reported previously for channel catfish, blue catfish, and hybrid catfish Jiang et al 2008). Bosworth and Wolters (2005) period of feed restriction in the fall, unfed channel catfish had a higher head yield than fed fish, similar to the results of the present study.…”

“…Females had higher carcass yields than males, but a significant genetic group × gender interaction was present at both the start and end of the study because the effect of gender on carcass yield was greater for channel catfish than for blue catfish or hybrid catfish. Higher carcass yields for hybrids and blue catfish in comparison with channel catfish have been reported in other studies (Grant and Robinette 1992;Argue et al 2003;Bosworth et al 2004;Li et al 2004;Jiang et al 2008). The smaller head size in hybrids and blue catfish relative to channel catfish appears to be the main factor influencing the higher carcass yields for hybrids and blue catfish in comparison with channel catfish.…”

Effects of Feeding Rate and Frequency on Production Characteristics of Pond‐Raised Hybrid Catfish

“…Growth, net yield, and survival of hybrid catfish fed daily to satiation were within the ranges reported in recent studies Dunham et al 2008;Jiang et al 2008;Green and Rawles 2010;Kumar and Engle 2010). Feed conversion ratio (1.97) of fish fed daily to satiation in the present study is higher than the FCR range of 1.49-1.85 reported in the aforementioned studies.…”

Relative Production Performance and Cost of Food Fish Production from Fingerlings of Channel-Blue F1 Hybrids, Ictalurus punctatus-Ictalurus furcatus, and NWAC-103 Channel Catfish, I. punctatus

“…HS‐5 hybrids and NWAC‐103 hybrids had a lower mean head percentage and a better processing yield than those of their parent channel catfish. However, restricted feeding in the Jiang et al (2008) study may have limited the growth of NWAC‐103, HS‐5 hybrids, and NWAC‐103 channel catfish. D&B blue catfish were more uniform in size and easier to seine than the NWAC‐103 channel and NWAC‐103 hybrid.…”

“…A better comparison may result from stocking hybrid fingerlings and NWAC‐103 channel catfish fingerlings with similar initial weights and maternal genetic traits. Jiang et al (2008) compared HS‐5 (Harvest Select Catfish, Uniontown, AL, USA) channel catfish, NWAC‐103 channel catfish, D&B blue catfish (D&B Fish Farm, Crockett, TX, USA), hybrid HS‐5 (♀ channel‐D&B ×♂ blue catfish F 1 hybrids), and hybrid NWAC‐103 F 1 hybrids (♀ NWAC‐103 ×♂ blue catfish). Mean harvest weights and net production were higher for HS‐5 channel and its hybrid than those of the NWAC 103 channel, NWAC 103 hybrid, and D&B blue catfish, but the mean stocking weights of the HS‐5 and its hybrid were larger.…”