R. T. Lovell

On November 24, 1973. pound-size channel catfish, which had previously been fed intensively for 6 months, were weighed and measured and placed back into nine 1/10-acre earthen ponds at the rate of 2,000 per acre. The fish were managed through the winter until the following March 4 on one of three feeding regimes; no feeding; feeding 1% of fish weight on alternate days; and feeding 1% offish weight only on "warm" days or when water temperature at a 3-foot depth was above 54 F. Fish not fed lost 99V of their weight during the I00-day over-winter period. those fed on alternate days received...

Channel catfish were stocked in 27, 1/10-acre ponds at the rate of 3,000 per acre and fed nine commercial-type rations containing three protein percentages and three levels of fish meal for 200 days. Average survival for the experiment was 96.8% and 93% of the fish were over 12 inches in length at harvest. Average yield for treatments ranged from 2,330 to 3,030 Ib/acre and the average for all treatments was 2,638 lb. The results indicated that satisfactory production can be obtained with all-plant rations. The 29%. all-plant protein diet yielded 2,330 Ib/ acre of harvestable size...

Six experimental catfish feeds, containing 29, 36, and 42% crude protein at metabolizable energy (ME) levels of 1000 and 1300 kcal per Ib, were fed to fingerling channel catfish in 24, 1/ I0-acre earthen ponds for 165 days. Each dietary treatment was randomly assigned to four ponds which were stocked at a rate of 4,000 fish per acre. Feed allowance was increased biweekly on the basis of fish weight gain until a maximum daily allowance of 40 Ib per acre was reached. The higher energy plane resulted in greater weight gains, more fish protein produced per acre, and slightly fatter fish, at...

Twenty suspended l-m3 cages were each stocked with 300 five- to six-inch channel catfish fingerlings to allow for the evaluation of five feeding regimens, each replicated four times. The experiment began April 15 and terminated October 21, providing for a 180-day feeding period. The daily feeding rate was 4% of biomass initially and decreased to 1.5% of biomass during the latter phase of the feeding trial. The experimental feeds were nutritionally complete, low-fiber, expanded (nonsinking) 3/ 16-inch diameter pellets. Treatments (diets) I through 3 contained protein levels of 40,35, and 30...