FEEDING RATES IN FISH FARMING

In fish farming feeding rate changes with temperature. Catfish are cold-blooded animals (ectotherms). As water temperature increases and decreases so does the feeding activity of the catfish changes . To prevent excessive and under feeding, feeding rates must be adjusted as temperature changes. As long as water temperatures are above 60º F, satiation feeding will provide the correct amount of food (percent BW) required by channel catfish. When water temperatures drop below 60º F, channel catfish are reluctant to feed at the surface, and satiation feeding is no longer a reliable practice. It is difficult to observe feeding activity when the food sinks and the fish do not come up to feed. This is true whether it is autumn or spring. Catfish will still consume floating feed when water temperature is between 60 and 65º F. But when the temperature falls below 60º F, a sinking pellet should be used. Mixing a slow-sinking feed with floating feed during this transitional period (60-65º F) allows fish to become accustomed to sinking feed when water temperatures are falling in autumn, and floating feed when temperatures rise again in spring. The simplest way to adjust feeding when water temperature is between 50 and 60º F is to reduce by half the amount of feed consumed when the temperatures are 60 to 70º F. That is, if average daily feed consumption is 66 lb/ac when temperatures are 60 to 70º F, the daily feeding rate is reduced to 33 lb/ac when temperatures are between 50 and 60º F. In this same example, if water temperatures drop below 50º F, the standard recommendation is to feed 33 lb/ac every other day or every third day. When ice begins to form around the edges of ponds, feeding should be halted. Because feed is the largest single operational cost of any intensive farm, feeding accurately
can make the difference between profit and loss in commercial channel catfish farming. Knowing the general rules and understanding the exceptions are powerful management tools. The producer who takes a little extra time to observe feeding activity and adjust rates, to keep and maintain accurate records and even to create custom feeding tables, has a much better chance of owning the farm rather than betting it.To learn how to produce Floating local fish feed call us on 08032861326 for help and consultancy.

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