U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2002





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News
- Search News & Events
- Pesticide Drift May Endanger Pollinators
- ARS Seeks a Fire Ant Fix
- Scientific Discoveries 2024
- ARS Featured Photos
- Down on the Farm
- Facebook Live Events
- Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- News Archive
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Social Media
- Under the Microscope
- AgResearch magazine
- ARS at Work
- ARS Memorial Lectures
- ARS Science Hall of Fame
- Citrus Disease (Huanglongbing)
- Contact Office of Communications
- Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Mobile Apps
- Public Affairs Contacts
- Publications and Other Resources
- USDA Blog
- Videos

Archived Page
 This page has been archived and is being provided for reference purposes only. The page is no longer being updated, and therefore, links on the page may be invalid.
 Cat’s Out of the Bag: New Catfish Line Outperforms Others
By Jim CoreMay 7, 2002
A new catfish line developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists promises to provide a shot in the arm for the U.S. catfish industry, according to producers who are already raving about its big appetite and superior growth rate.
Fish in this new catfish line, NWAC103, consumed 10 percent more feed and grew 10 percent faster than channel catfish now in production. Releasing this superior breeding line should provide greater profits for the industry, according to William R. Wolters, who leads the ARS Catfish Genetics Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss.
The new line was released jointly last year by ARS and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center (NWAC) in Stoneville. Thirty-five selected producers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and North Carolina were chosen by lottery. Thus far, researchers have released nearly 750,000 pounds of two- and three-year-old broodstock to producers.
And producers are excited about the new line. According to Neil Bowen, owner of Plantation Fishery, Inc. in Pantego, NC, the new line is probably the best thing that ever happened to the industry. The fish are such aggressive feeders and mature so early, that the broodstock at his farm have doubled their size in one year.
Lester Myers, president of Delta Western Feed Mill, Inc., in Indianola, Miss., attributes his increased feed sales to the new line. He predicts this strain will be the predominant catfish produced in the Mississippi Delta in the next two to three years. The new line is a channel catfish, the most commonly raised catfish species.
ARS scientists selected the fish for fast growth and increased feed consumption in the Stoneville breeding program. ARS scientists identified genetic markers that allowed for rapid identification and certification to distinguish it from other catfish. Genetic improvement of channel catfish is essential for long-term viability of the U.S. catfish industry, according to Wolters.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency.


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov