041 



Heffernan, Bernard E. 



1974. 



Five ways to cut costs on a catfish farm. 



Fish Farming Ind. 5(1): 16-19. 



Five of many cost-reducing changes in methods and equipment on 



the Edgar Farmer and Sons operation, Dumas, Ark.,, are discussed 



on the basis of an interview with Kelly Farmer, manager of the 



fish division. With the increase in feed prices, 800 instead of 



2,000 1/2-pound catfish were stocked per acre of pond in 1973, 



along with 10 instead of 5 pounds of fathead minnows, and 



commercial feed was applied at the rate of 12 instead of 30 to 35 



pounds per acre per day. Dust, which is undesirable for feeding, 



is recovered from feed at the rate of 1% to 3%. A refrigeration 



unit added to live-haul truck trailers reduced the requirements 



for ice from as much as 9,000 pounds to 500 pounds per trailer 



load (as much as 15,000 pounds of fish) on long trips. Lime is 



being added to ponds to reduce organic decay. Live-haul and 



seine harvesting eguipment has been designed or improved, 



reducing labor requirements. 



Subject descriptors: 



Catfish; technology; techniques. 



042 



Jones, Walter G. 



1969. 



Market alternatives and opportunities for farm catfish. 



Paper presented to the Fish Farming Conference., Oct. 1969, 



Texas ASM Univ., College Station, Tex. U.S. Bur. Commer. 



Fish., Ann Arbor, processed, 6 pp. 



While the long-run prospects for catfish market development are 



viewed optimistically, growth requires planning and market 



research, and there are some short-run problems. The general 



market outlook is discussed, along with an indication of sources 



of competition for farm-raised catfish (wild U.S. and imported 



catfish, especially growth in the latter, and perhaps imported 



farm-raised catfish in the future) . Price, guality, product 



form, and other differences exist; marketing research can help 



further identify avenues of development. Producer (farmer or 



grower) market alternatives include local, live-haul, processing 



plant, wholesaler and distributor, and fingerling and broodstock 



markets. Processor market alternatives include specialty 



restaurants, supermarket chains, food caterers, and foreign 



markets. Each of these alternatives is discussed as to current 



and future importance. 



Subject descriptors: 



Catfish; markets; marketing. 



19 



