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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #230616
Title: The Effects of Harvesting and Hauling on the Blood Physiology and Fillet Quality of Food-Size Channel Catfish

Author
item MINCHEW, C - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY
item BEECHAM, R - MISS. VALLEY STATE UNIV.
item PEARSON, P - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY
item GREEN, B - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY
item KIM, J - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY
item BAILEY, S - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2007
Publication Date: 7/15/2007
Citation: Minchew, C.D., Beecham, R.V., Pearson, P.R., Green, B.W., Kim, J.M., Bailey, S.B. 2007. The Effects of Harvesting and Hauling on the Blood Physiology and Fillet Quality of Food-Size Channel Catfish. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 69:373-380.

Interpretive Summary: Procedure used to harvest food-sized channel catfish from commercial ponds can be stressful to fish and may affect product quality after processing. Based on changes in blood chemistry that are indicative of physiological stress, this study showed that the most stressful harvest activities were moving catfish from the seine to a sock and crowding the fish for loading onto transport trucks. The effects of these two events were cumulative. Results confirmed that routine capture and hauling procedures used in catfish farming are stressful to fish and that using liquid oxygen for aerating fish in holding socks does not significantly improve fillet quality or reduce stress levels.

Technical Abstract: Commercially produced food-size channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus that were harvested using routine procedures had significant elevations in plasma cortisol, glucose, and lactate compared to preharvest fish captured from open ponds. Blood samples were taken from 10 fish in each of the two treatments (liquid oxygen and paddlewheel aerated holding socks) and four sampling periods (before harvest, after socking, before loading, and before unloading) during each of 10 harvest events. Water column temperatures averaged approximately 27C during the study. Ten fillet samples were taken from fish held overnight in paddlewheel- and liquid oxygen- aerated holding socks during some harvest events. Mean plasma cortisol levels averaged 3.02 ng/mL before harvesting, 84.38 ng/mL immediately after socking, 135.22 ng/mL after 18 h in the sock (i.e., before loading onto the truck), and 128.54 ng/mL after 2-3 h on the truck (i.e., before unloading). Mean plasma glucose levels averaged 34.7 mg/dL before harvesting, 95.41 mg/dL after socking, 134.53 mg/dL before loading, and 134.86 mg/dL before unloading. Mean plasma lactate levels averaged 2.43 mmol/L before harvest, 13.24 mmol/L after socking, 11.53 mmol/L before loading, and 7.88 mmol/L before unloading. These results should not be considered maximal until additional studies are conducted with average water temperatures at their highest. There were significant changes within treatment over 7 d of refrigerated storage for fillet pH, color, and drip-loss; however, there were no consistent trends between treatments. Results indicate that routine capture and hauling procedures are stressful to commercially produced food-size channel catfish under the examined conditions and that using liquid oxygen for aerating fish in holding socks does not significantly improve fillet quality or reduce stress levels.