Use of Corn Germ Meal in Diets for Pond-Raised Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Corn germ meal (CGM) is a by-product of corn milling. On the basis of its nutrient composition and digestibility values, it appears to be a suitable ingredient for use in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, diets. A study was conducted to examine the use of various levels of CGM in diets for pond-raised channel catfish. Four 28% protein diets containing 0, 15, 25, and 35% CGM were evaluated. Fingerling channel catfish (mean initial weight: 71g/fish) were stocked into 24, 0.04-ha ponds at a rate of 14,826fish/ha. Fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for a 167-d growing season. No significant differences were observed in total amount of diet fed, diet consumption per fish, net yield, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, survival, fillet yield, and fillet protein, fat, and moisture concentrations among fish fed diets containing various levels of CGM. Carcass yield decreased linearly as dietary CGM levels increased. Depending on prices, CGM can be used interchangeably with corn gluten feed in channel catfish diets as replacements for corn, wheat middlings, and soybean meal to reduce feed cost.