Three cooperating producers distributed among two Arkansas County were selected for the program resulting in a total of five verification ponds. Two cooperators and three verification ponds are located in Ashley County. The third cooperator with two verification ponds is located in Woodruff County. Cooperating producers agreed to manage the verification ponds according to the recommended management practices for a period of 2 years. The initial fish inventory of all ponds was assessed in April 2004. Trends in the data from verification ponds are available on this web site and updated weekly.

At this time, the program focuses on the traditional multiple-batch management strategy. Some of the recommendations that the program demonstrates are stocking fingerlings larger than 5 inches at a moderate density around 6,000 heads/acre and feeding daily to satiation. Research conducted at UAPB clearly suggested that stocking smaller fingerlings (Engle and Valderrama 2001) or feeding every other day negatively impact net returns of the farm. Additionally, we are looking at the use of an in-pond grader developed at UAPB. The UAPB-grader is more effective than the traditional live-car method to minimize the number of sub-marketable size catfish sent to the plant.

The modular management strategy in which the fingerlings are raised to stocker size before to be transferred to growout ponds may also be recommended in some situations but did not constitute the focus of the present verification program. A new catfish verification program focusing on the modular production system will be initiated next year.

For more information about the program contact:

Steeve Pomerleau - Program Assistant Coordinator

Office: (870) 575-8139

Mobile Phone: (870) 692-3709

spomerleau@uaex.edu

Updated 11/09/04