Daniel H. Yancey

Use of soybean meal and distillers grains with solubles as partial or total replacement of fish meal in diets for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in aquaria with juvenile (11g) channel catfish to examine effects of partially or totally replacing fish meal with a fixed percentage (35%) of distillers grains with solubles (DGS) and a variable percentage (up to 50%) of soybean meal in prepared diets. Four isonitrogenous (33% protein) and isocaloric (2.9 kcal digestible energy/g of diet) diets were formulated to contain 12, 8, 4, and 0% fish meal. Soybean meal was added to assure crude protein levels of 33%. A fifth diet was formulated identical to the diet with 0% fish meal, but with supplemental lysine and methionine added. After 12 weeks, weight gain, individual weight, individual length, food conversion ratio, specific growth rate, and survival were not significantly different ( P > 0.05) among treatments. These data suggest that a diet with all plant protein sources (soybean meal and distillers grains with solubles) can totally replace fish meal in a channel catfish diet.

Effect of partially or totally replacing fish meal with soybean meal on growth of blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in aquaria with juvenile (6 g) blue catfish to examine effects of substituting soybean meal for fish meal in a prepared diet. Four isonitrogenous (34% protein) and isocaloric (2.4 kcal digestible energy/g) diets were formulated to contain 13, 9, 4, and 0% menhaden fish meal (67% crude protein). Soybean meal (44% crude protein) was added in increasing percentages (48, 55, 62, and 69%) to the respective diets. A fifth diet, otherwise identical to the diet containing 0% fish meal and 69% soybean meal, was prepared with soybean meal that had been heated at 105 ° C for 60 min prior to diet preparation. After 12 weeks, fish fed a diet with 13% fish meal had a significantly (P 0.05) in body weights of fish fed the other four diets. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found in percentage survival, food conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio among diets. Growth of blue catfish was similar to that reported for channel catfish juveniles. However, these data suggest that blue catfish juveniles require at least 13% fish meal in a diet containing 34% crude protein for optimal growth.

Effect of Protein Level and Feeding Frequency on Growth and Body Composition of Cage-Reared Channel Catfish

Abstract Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fingerlings were stocked in eight 1.25-m3 floating cages at densities of 320 fish/m3 and fed to satiety once or twice daily for 105 d with diets containing either 34 or 38% protein. Experimental diets were formulated by a commercial feed mill with recommended levels of essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Fish fed a diet containing 38% protein had significantly (P 0.05) were found when body composition was analyzed in relation to dietary protein level, feeding frequency, and their interaction. These data indicate that channel catfish reared in cages may require a diet with a hi...

Effects of Yucca shidigera Extract on Water Quality and Fish Growth in Recirculating-Water Aquaculture Systems

Abstract In livestock industries such as poultry and swine, an extract of the Yucca shidigera plant has shown promise in controlling ammonia buildup in production facilities. In three trials, effects of Y. shidigera extract on ammonia levels and fish growth in recirculating-water aquaculture systems were evaluated. When added to in vitro ammonia solutions, extract concentrations of 0.043% and 0.43% caused a significant (P 0.05) in ammonia, nitrite, and dissolved oxygen levels. These result...

A Preliminary Assessment of Growth, Survival, Yield, and Economic Return of Australian Red Claw Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, Stocked at Three Densities in Earthen Ponds in a Cool, Temperate Climate

Abstract Juvenile (mean weight 8.1 g) Australian red claw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, were stocked in July at three rates of 12,000/ha, 18,000/ha, and 24,000/ha into two, 0.02-ha earthen ponds in a cool temperature region of the United States (Kentucky) and grown for 70 days. Red claw were fed a pelleted marine shrimp diet twice daily. Ponds had continual aeration provided. Dissolved oxygen and temperature were measured twice daily (0900 and 1530 hours); total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite, and alkalinity were measured twice weekly; and pH was measured daily. At harvest, there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in final individual weight, percentage weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, percentage survival, yield, and economic return among all treatments and averaged 58.4 g, 805%, 3.04%/ day, 7.47,42.7%, 461 kg/ha, and -

Growth, Processing Measurements, Tail Meat Yield, and Tail Meat Proximate Composition of Male and Female Australian Red Claw Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, Stocked into Earthen Ponds

2659/ha, respectively. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the percentage of males and females harvested from the ponds among any stocking rate with males comprising 48.2% and females comprising 51.8%. Final individual weight of males and females was not significantly (P > 0.05) different among all treatments. These data indicate that there is no advantage to stocking red claw at rates below 24,000/ha in terms of growth, survival, yield, and economic return and that red claw can grow to marketable size in a cooler temperate region of the United States with a short (<110 days) growing season by stocking a larger-size (8 g) red claw.

Evaluation of distillers' grains with solubles as a protein source in diets for channel catfish

Abstract Small (0.7 g) juvenile red claw, Cherax quadricarinatus, were stocked in earthen ponds (0.04 ha) in Kentucky and grown for 86 days so that measures of growth, survival, processing characteristics, and proximate composition of tail muscle in male and female Australian red claw crayfish could be obtained. A commercial marine shrimp was fed to all red in two separate feedings, each consisting of one-half of the total daily ration between 0800-0830 and between 1530-1600 hours for the duration of the culture period. Total weight and number of red claw from each pond were recorded at the harvest. Forty red claw from each sex were randomly sampled, chill-killed by lowering the body temperature in an ice-bath, and frozen (-20°C) for processing measurements and proximate composition. Red claw were removed from the freezer, thawed, individually weighed to the nearest 0.01 g, and then were hand-processed so that weights of chelae, tail, and tail muscle were obtained to the nearest 0.01 g. After 87 days, red claw had a final average individual weight of 59.6 g, weight gain of 8,413%, survival of 64.0%, yield of 903 kg/ha, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 4.63. When analyzed by sex, males had significantly (P < 0.05) higher final individual weight (71.05 g) compared to females (53.65 g); higher (P < 0.05) chelae weight (13.1 g for males compared to 6.84 g for females); higher tail weight (25.53 g for males compared to 20.38 g for females); higher tail muscle weight (18.99 g for males compared to 14.89 g for females); and higher cephalothorax weight (32.41 g for males compared to 26.44 g for females; Table 2). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the percentage moisture, protein, lipid, fiber, and ash in the tail muscle of male and female red claw when analyzed either on a wet-weight basis and averaged 81.0%, percentage protein averaged 16.46%, percentage lipid averaged 0.16%, fiber averaged 0.1%, and percentage ash averaged 1.42%. Results from the present study indicate that red claw can be grown as a commercial aquaculture species in locations with limited growing seasons, and that male red claw grow larger, have larger chelae, and higher tail muscle weights compared to females so that it might be economically advantageous to stock all-male populations of red claw in ponds to achieve maximum production. Further research on growth and processing yields of red claw should be conducted to assist the industry.