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Optimum Dietary Protein to Energy Ratio for Channel Catfish Fingerlings, Ictalurus punctatus^1,2,3,4,

Department of Biochemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762

Twenty-one semipurified diets were formulated to determine the optimum protein:energy ratio (P/E) for channel catfish fingerlings. Seven crude protein levels and three energy levels at each protein level were utilized. The protein, lipid, and digestible carbohydrate sources were hexane-extracted whole egg powder, salmon-corn oil mixture, and white dextrin, respectively. After an initial 2 week conditioning period, the experimental diets were fed in triplicate to groups of 30 ± 3 channel catfish fingerlings weighing 205 ± 10 g and kept in 110 liter flow-through aquaria at 26.7 ± 1.1°. The diets were fed at a rate equalling 3% of the total wet body weight/day divided into three equal feedings and adjusted weekly for 9 weeks. An approximate fivefold increase in body weight was observed. These data indicate that the concept of P/E ratios must be restricted to diets containing adequate levels of protein and total energy. Based on average daily gain, diets containing energy levels between 275 and 341 kcal/100 g had an optimum P/E ratio of approximately 88 (24–36% crude protein). Diets containing 24% crude protein and 275 kcal/100 g diet appeared to be utilized more efficiently in terms of percent protein deposited than diets containing higher crude protein levels.

KEY WORDS: • channel catfish • protein requirement • protein to energy ratio

¹ Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Publication Number 3281.

² Based on a dissertation submitted by the senior author to the graduate faculty of Mississippi State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology.

³ Supported in part by Research Grant Agreement No. 75-SE from the Mississippi Research and Development Center, Jackson, Mississippi.

⁴ A preliminary report on this work was presented at the American Fisheries Society, National Fish Culture Workshop, Springfield, Mo., Jan. 14, 1976.

Manuscript received 15 March 1976.

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