February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

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COST OF PRODUCING STOCKER AND HARVEST SIZE CATFISH Ictalurus punctatus IN
COMMERCIAL-SCALE VERIFICATION TRIALS
Terrill R. Hanson*, Louis R. D’Abramo, James A. Steeby, Susan K. Kingsbury and Craig S. Tucker
Department of Aquaculture and Allied Aquacultures
Auburn University
203 Swingle Hall
Auburn, Alabama 36849 USA
trh0008@auburn.edu
A two-year study was conducted to evaluate the second (fingerling to stocker) and third (stocker to growout) phases of a threephase,
modular production system for channel catfish in commercial size farm ponds. Fingerling channel catfish (13.6 g, 12.0
cm) were stocked into each of six earthen ponds (1.62 ha) at a density of 123,500/ha and fed a 35 % crude protein floating feed
daily to satiation. After 142 days, harvested stockers ranged from 109.0 g to 158.9 g (mean = 142.3 g). Survival ranged from
38.8 % to 62.0 %, (mean = 47.7 %), approximately 20 % less than that obtained in small experimental ponds. Individual stocker
fish cost of production was approximately $0.36 each.
Harvested stocker fish were then stocked into 1.62 ha ponds at either 12,350/ha or 16,055/ha for final growout to harvest size
(phase 3). There were three replicates per treatment, and were fed a 35 % crude protein floating feed to satiation with a cap
of 224 kg/ha. Mean total production, combined from an early selective harvest, between 105 to 130 days, and final harvest,
between 207 to 245 days, for the 12,350/ha and 16,055/ha treatments were 7124 kg/ha and 7210 kg/ha respectively. Survival
in growout phase ponds ranged from 84.3 % to 105.5 % (mean = 92.5%) and feed conversion ratios ranged from 2.25 to 2.64
(mean = 2.43) with no significant treatment-dependent effects. Mean weight (0.66 kg) and length (41.86 cm) of fish harvested
from the 12,350/ha treatment was significantly higher than those of fish harvested from the 16,055/ha treatment (0.47 kg; 38.35
cm). Preliminary results from this commercial-scale trial of phase three production are encouraging and the economics of this
final phase will be presented.
Additional advantages of the three phase modular system are its ability to eliminate mortality from bird depredation, to better
control fish inventory, to control harvest size, and to reduce losses from adverse water quality.