Researchers seek to develop low-cost feeds and more efficient feeding strategies, to optimize nutrient utilization, and to gain new information on nutrition and fish health interactions. Developing techniques to monitor and manage water quality is not only important in environmental protection, it will also help to prevent off-flavor products. Improving water use efficiency and evaluating factors that influence biotic changes in pond water are other research goals. Applied breeding is used to improve economically important traits of catfish, as well as to develop and screen molecular genetic markers. Specifically, selection is based on growth, feed efficiency, reproductive efficiency, disease resistance, and improved processing characteristics.
NWAC scientists work to develop and evaluate diagnostic methods and disease treatments.
A total pond management approach uses epidemiological and production data to correlate management practices and environmental factors to the incidence of disease outbreaks. Applied Fish Diseases. Toward the goal of improving efficiency of catfish harvesting and grading, NWAC researchers work to design improved seines and seining methods. Fish Behavior . Behavior of pond-raised catfish and the relationship between behavior and environmental factors, feeding, and fish health is the focus of this NWAC program.