Protein is the most expensive component comprising a catfish feed; thus, a reduction in feed cost can most likely be achieved by either reducing the concentration of dietary protein, by using less expensive plant proteins, or by a combination of these factors. Feedstuffs of animal origin are expensive yet they are generally considered to be essential in catfish feeds. If low-protein, all plant-protein feeds can be developed, considerable savings in feed cost would result. The proposed project will evaluate the effects of varying dietary protein quantity and quality in growout feeds for channel catfish. A combination of soybean meal and cottonseed meal will be used to replace all animal protein in a series of experimental catfish feeds containing either 20, 24, 28, 32 or 36% protein. Each feed will be fed to catfish in 5 replicate 0.04 hectare (0.1 acre) earthen ponds from May to October, 1996. Final weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, survival, percentage visceral fat, dressed yield, and proximate composition of edible tissue will be determined.Applications:If low-protein feeds based on plant proteins can be developed, potential savings may be as high as $1122 per metric ton of feed ($10-20 per ton). This should result in an annual savings of about $120-240 per hectare ($50-100 per acre). In addition, using plant-based feedstuffs will reduce dependence on marine fish meals whose availability and cost depend on natural catch or meat and bone meal which is highly variable in nutrient content.
