Progress 06/01/11 to 05/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Theproducer audience reached with this effort includes established fish producers in Missouri as well as other states in the midwestern US at profesional meetings, onresearch sitevisits, farm visits, and via phone and e-mail conversations. The research sites also hosted multiple tours of high school age students, university students,master gardners, state repressentatives, parties with entreprenueral interests, and the general public. This project was involved with multiple collaborations with other agriculture related endeavors where the interested public was exposed to a broad range of research including aquaculture/ bluegill production. Changes/Problems:Indoor temperature management required for out of season spawning required an upgrading where heat inputs were directly to water rather than the air. This proved beneficial once realized as production methods using different temperatures could then be carried out in the same overhead environment. We found overwinter mortalities of larger fish in ponds was too high causing us to keep fish indoors during that time. Cause of loss appears to be related to how animals were kept during growing season interacting with some environmental / disease issue. We were not able to complete the last objective owing to loss of key personnel with expertise in economics. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project supported the paid training of 10 undergraduate students in fish production using recirculating aquaculture systems, ponds and raceways. Most students had at least some level of training in the operation of an indoor warmwater hatchery. At least twice that many undergraduate students participated in the handling of fish during handling and transport as extra credit for their aquaculture related courses. Lateral transfer of indoor hatchery techniques to a collaborating institution (The Ohio State Univervisty) was also used to aid in completing of another funded project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of this project have been used in conversations with sunfish producers with intention of stimulating their interest in using our Bluegill lines and methods in their future production efforts. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Two lines of Bluegill have been selected for performance as food fish on diets formulations similar to those used for Channel Catfish that are lower in terms of protein and energy density as well as more plant based than used in most Bluegill production efforts. Selection pressure also involved tolerance for stressful breeding conditions and high density rearing using formulated feed starting at 21 days after first feeding. Bluegill where found to have difficulties tolerating dietary carbohydrate levels exceeding 13% based on growth with changes in liver weight indicating lower levels may be problematic with even relatively lower carbohydrate feeds used for longer periods of time. A range of dietary energy to protein ratios at multiple energy levels was used to determine what energy to protein ratio was optimal. The optimal energy ratio will be a key variable used when formulated diets that can vary with respect to the types of feedstuffs used that also tend to promote changes in overall nutrient profiles in formulations. Culture methods for early life stages were refined to include near continuous availability of high quality feeds that must be varied as a function of fish size rather than age and where concentrations of dissolved and particulate organics must be kept low as possible. Handling limitations of prolarvae and larvae made rapid enumeration impractical. This project was not able to address the final objective relating to economic evaluations.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Approximately60 fish producers in Missouri (35 from Missouri Aquaculture Association with balance as informal visits) and 600 youth were exposed to this project as either presentations or demonstrations provided at least in part by this project. Limited interaction with producers (~25)outside ot Missouri concerned with rearing food-fish sized sunfish was also carried out as one on one communications. The culture systems and personnel of this project also provided educational opportunities for parties (~100) already in attendance for outreach activities involving other agriculture related activities. Approximately 20 high school instructorsofagriculture/ biology / natural resources rely upon our efforts to help them with aquaculture related activities in their classrooms. Additionally, undergraduate students trained by this project carried out educational effortsusing aquatic organisms as teaching tools resulting in contacts with several hundred primary school age youth. Changes/Problems: Useof available indoor aquaculture research facility (upgrade) was hindered for most of 2013 by lack of thermal control and poor quality lighting for hatchery component causing a one year delay in breeding. The environmental issue have been resolved by addtion of water heaters and supplmental lighting directly over tanks. We now have ability to rear both lineages where only the first 72 days needs to be staggered now making it so both can be pond trialed in parallel. This will still require an additional year to complete the third evaluation of both lineages. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Undergraduate students have been trained in all aspects of food-fish production involving sunfishes with emphasis on indoor recirculating aquaculture systems and cages. Two students received more intensive training and carried out supervised nutritionresearch to produce papers for oral presentation. One student, with another a semester behindworking as research assistants on this project, has graduated with a Minor in Aquaculture and three more students replacing first two arecurrently employed by projectand enrolled in the same minor.Technique for measuring tissue glycogen levels was worked out for cultured bluegill. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Missouri Aquaculture Association had informal visit to LU researchfacilities. Several producers have since expressed interest in using selected bluegillin their production efforts. Multiple new producers visited to learn one on one variousfeeding andconfinementmethods. Field day events involving high school age students resulted in training participants how to use seines and prepare a range of aquatic species for consumption. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Objective 1. Both lineages will be pondtrialed in parallel to further selection efforts. Some of resulting fish will be made available for use by interested food-fish producers. Objective 2. A) A trial will be ran with fingerling bluegill maintained in a recirculating aquaculture system that will be fed semi-purified diets (n=16) at4 energy levels and four protein to energy ratios (replicated across energy levels) to investigate impacts upon growth performance and body composition.B) Soybean meal, canola meal, corn gluten meal,and fishmealwill be compared in diets fed to fingerling bluegill housed in cages simulating commercial conditions.The ongoing wintergrowth trial will be examined to determineimpacts ofwinter feeding regimens and nutrient densities (36% versus 45% crude protein). Objective 3. A private producer with>10 years experienceusing agiant freshwater prawn nursery will use rearing techniques we developed to raise pro-larval sunfish to at least 84 days post-exodus (first feeding). Data will helpdevelop estimates of commercial scale production costusing resources already in place but not in use during off-season for prawn nursery operation. Objective 4.Date will be compiled and processed todevelop production costs estimates for food-fish sized bluegill using recirculating aquaculture systems and ponds..
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1. Further selection of existing brood stock has been imposed on both lineages by a combination of prolonged feeding with a diet formulated for catfish and ability to breed under stressful conditions. Breeding was made more difficult owing to move a new aquaculture research facility forcing adoption of more control over breeding setup than previously imposed. These changes delayed breeding efforts this year but have enabled a breeding and trialing both lineages at same time in subsequent years. Objective 2. A) A semi-purified diet has been found that will enable more controlled explorations of protein and energy requirements where carbohydrate levels can be kept low enough not to cause health issues fed such diets. B) A preliminary trial wasranexploring relative palatability of soybean meal, canola meal, corn gluten meal,and fishmeal in preparation for larger more long-term growth trial evaluation of such feedstuffs under near commercial rearing conditions. Additionally we explored use of locally produced algae concentrates with high quality fatty-acid profilesto cut a commercially available formulation. A cage trial started late in production season has been started to will explore winter feeding regimens comparing two nutrient densities (36% versus 45% crude protein). Objective 3. Feeding bluegilllarvae / fryby hand, 12-hour belt feeder, 24-hour belt feeder and vibratory feeder have been compared setting stage for commercial scale rearing in a manner that optimizes conversion of feed into growth and limits costs of labor and materials. Objective 4. Collection of data from RAS and multiple intensive pond rearing efforts to develop production costs estimates.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Dudenhoefer, G., J.E. Wetzel and T. Omara-Alawala. 2012. Weaning Ages of Bluegill and Redear Sunfish Fry in Indoor Recirculating Aquaculture System. North American Journal of Aquaculture 74(2):208-213.
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Brood stocks have been continuously selected for the two lineages of the bluegill cultigens being developed. To determine magnitude of growth performance changes, future evaluations are involving unselected populations of bluegill grown alongside cultigen lineages. Conditioning of brood fish is underway for anticipated breeding in early 2013; previous breeding effort for 2012 was postponed owing to indoor research lab being relocated. A trial was conducted on age-1 bluegill to explore how exchanging carbohydrate for lipid in the diet impacts growth and body composition. Fish cages (n=24), each with a volume of one cubic yard, have been deployed into culture ponds for use in nutritional trials exploring use of plant based feedstuffs in diets for age-1 grow out phase bluegill during the 2013 production season. At same time age- bluegill will be grown using diets representing multiple dietary energy to protein levels to determine the optimum range for energy to protein ratio in diet formulation. Cost of indoor rearing of bluegill through fingerling stage is being determined. Move to new aquaculture facility, despite short-term delays in project progression, should enable considerable improvement in the ability to meet remaining objectives. Two trials exploring what feed rates are optimal during the first 14 days of exogenous feeding have been completed. Data relating to effort / labor of bluegill larval rearing is being compiled and used to direct future research concerning culture methods, especially as they relate to labor inputs. PARTICIPANTS: Jason Tyler Edwards - Research Technician Jenny Schulte - Causual Appointment Ethan Musick - Student Brianna Hayes - Student Michael Conroy - Student-Causual Appointment Aproximately 10 students and 10 individuals helpedby donating time with harvest of experimental fish TARGET AUDIENCES: Farmers producing bluegill as food- and / or gamefish. Fish feed producers Students of aquaculture / agriculture with potential of becoming entrepreneurs PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Delay imposed upon founding and evaluating lineage for 2012 delayed owing to move of research facility during production season. Effort will be doubled during 2013 production to compensate.
Impacts
Methodology of bluegill propagation and rearing continues to improve enabling consistent /year round availability of animals for research and grow out. Dietary carbohydrate exchanged for lipid has minimal impact upon growth of age-1 bluegill but does affect size and appearance of the liver which may degrade long-term survival. Key findings regarding larval feeding regimens during first 14 days post-exodus indicate larvae grow and survive best when food is continuously available although feedings can be spaced variably in time to result in no change in growth or survival.
Publications
- Dudenhoeffer, G., Wetzel, J. and Omara-Alwala, T. 2011. Evaluation of Selected Commercial Starter Feeds for Sunfish Fry Culture. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 73(3):332-338.
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Brood stock have been selected for both lineages of the bluegill cultigens in development. Conditioning of brood fish is underway for anticipated breeding in early 2012. A feeding trial investigating effects of dietary carbohydrate (dextrin) on age-0 fingerling bluegill is underway. Two subsequent feeding trials are being set up; the first is to identify as suitable semi-purified diet formulation based in part on the bluegill whole-body amino acid profile, and the second based on findings of ongoing carbohydrate trial will explore how energy and protein requirements interact of a range of nutrient densities. Materials have been acquired and construction begun of fish cages (n=24) to be deployed in culture ponds and used in nutritional trials exploring use of plant based feedstuffs in diets for age-1 growout phase bluegill. A larval rearing system using a battery of culture units has been designed, constructed and tested for culturing sunfishes where feeding regimen and lighting conditions can be manipulated. Multiple trials have been conducted involving feeding regimens which employ expensive brine shrimp larvae as first feed and co-feeding regimens that improve conversion over to formulated feeds. Trials related to timing of feed application are complete. Current efforts are exploring what feed rates are optimal during the first 14 days of exogenous feeding. Data relating to effort / labor of bluegill larval rearing is being compiled and used to direct future research concerning culture methods, especially as they relate to labor inputs. PARTICIPANTS: James E. Wetzel - project director Jason Tyler Edwards - technician Jenny Schulte - student research assistant / casual Ethan Musick - student research assistant Briana Hayes - student research assistant Jonothan Callaway - student worker Eric Beckman - student research assistant Norma Wuluji - casual help TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Analysis of growth data indicates growth performance of bluegill in both lineages is impacted by genetic factors and that selection appears to promote increased growth performance. To determine magnitude of growth performance changes, future evaluations will involve unselected populations of bluegill grown alongside both cultigen lineages. Methodology of bluegill propagation is improving enabling consistent /year round availability of animals for trials involving nutrition. Dietary carbohydrates at very low and very high levels appear to negatively impact overall all growth. Comparison with appropriate control diets indicates variations in non-nutritive bulk (cellulose) used in many of the formulations is not cause as assumed with other fish species having difficulties with variations in dietary carbohydrate levels. Key findings regarding larval feeding regimens during first 14 days post-exodus indicate larvae grow and survive best when food is continuously available. Age of available brine shrimp should not exceed 6-hours post-harvest and trend in results indicate freshly hatched should be used whenever possible. Observations of all larval growth trials completed to date suggest over feeding is taking placing causing waste of expensive brine shrimp and increased risk of disease owing to decomposition of uneaten materials. Co-feeding trials indicate optimal age of transition from brine shrimp to a formulated diet can start as early as fourteen days and that increasing size at that age increase transition efficiency.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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