Use of Cottonseed Meal in Channel Catfish Feeds

AbstractSolvent extracted cottonseed meal was substituted for soybean meal in catfish feeds on a nitrogen basis. The feeds, which contained either 0, 10, or 20% cottonseed meal, were formulated to contain about 32% protein and 2.9 kcal digestible energy/g. The fish were reared in 6 m3 net pens suspended in a 1.6 ha earthen pond. Twelve pens (four per treatment) were stocked with 400 fish with an initial average weight of 95 g/fish. All fish were fed to satiation once daily. A sample of 60 fish from each pen was weighed at 76 days to evaluate feed consumption, feed conversion, and weight gain. At the end of the experiment (132 days), fish from each net pen were weighed collectively and samples were taken to determine tissue free gossypol concentrations, proximate composition of fillets, and dressout percentages. There were no significant differences in weight gain, feed conversion, or survival of fish sampled at 76 days or of fish at the end of the experiment regardless of dietary treatment. At 76 days, feed consumption of fish fed the 20% cottonseed meal feed was significantly higher than that of other fish, but there were no significant differences in feed consumption at the end of the experiment. Free gossypol levels were below detectable limits in fish tissue. There were no significant differences in percentage dressout or in body composition, except for a slightly higher ash content in fish fed the feed containing 10% cottonseed meal. It appears that cottonseed meal can be used to partially substitute for soybean meal in catfish feeds. At the present, it is recommended that cottonseed meal be limited to 15% of the catfish diet.