Winter Feeding and Growth of Channel Catfish Fed Diets Containing Varying Percentages of Distillers Grains with Solubles as a Total Replacement of Fish Meal

Abstract

Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, with an average initial weight of 515g, were fed four experimental pelleted diets (1-4) with increasing percentages (0, 35, 55, or 90%) of distillers grains with solubles (DGS) during the winter. A fifth diet was formulated identical to diet 4 except that 0.6% supplemental lysine was added to meet the published requirement. Yield, individual weight, individual length, survival, and weight gain of fish were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among treatments. Average individual fish weight at harvest was 542 g and represented a weight gain of 5.4%. Percentage moisture, protein, and fat of waste, (skin, head, and viscera) were not significantly different (P . 0.05) among treatments. Percentage protein of the dressed carcass of fish fed diet 4 (90%) DGS without lysine) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in fish fed diet 3 (55% DGS), and percentage fat was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in fish fed diet 5 (90% DGS + 0.6% lysine). These data indicate that DGS is a suitable diet ingredient and can be used at levels up to 90% inclusion in winter diets for channel catfish without addition of supplemental amino acids. Use of DGS in diets may be economical, especially if prices of fish meal and soybean meal increase dramatically or if DGS is locally available.