Catfish Feed Deliveries - Release

Catfish Feed
Deliveries
Washington, D.C.

Released July 21, 2010, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S.
Department of Agriculture. For information on Catfish Feed Deliveries call Charles Butler at 601-965-4575, office hours 8:00
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT.

June 2010 Catfish Feed Deliveries Down 11 Percent from Last Year
Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during June was 85,686 tons, down 11 percent
from June 2009, but up 34 percent from the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered
totaled 80,769 tons, down 13 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for
fingerlings and broodfish totaled 4,917 tons, up 54 percent from the corresponding month a year
ago.
June feed delivered to Mississippi catfish growers for foodsize fish totaled 39,337 tons, down 13
percent from last year. Mississippi accounted for 49 percent of the total foodsize catfish feed
delivered to U.S. farmers.
The other major States with catfish feed deliveries for foodsize fish in June and their comparison to
the previous year were Alabama with 27,165 tons, down 6 percent; Arkansas with 7,102 tons, down
35 percent; and Louisiana with 735 tons, down 53 percent.

Aq 4 (7-10)

U. S. Quantity of Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered,
Monthly Totals

Thousand Tons

140
2009

2010

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Sep

Oct

Nov Dec

U.S. Quantity of Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered,
Cumulative Totals

Thousand Tons

600
2009

2010

500
400
300
200
100
0
Jan

Feb

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Mar

Apr

May Jun

2

Jul

Aug Sep

Oct

Nov Dec

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
United States, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Month

4,455
7,034
18,927
31,621
57,466
93,123
104,060
107,840
82,125
38,828
21,280
3,221

Tons

Percent

1,433
1,528
12,680
38,080
60,913
80,769

Tons

32
22
67
120
106
87

4,455
11,489
30,416
62,037
119,503
212,626
316,686
424,526
506,651
545,479
566,759
569,980

Tons

Tons

Percent

Tons

Tons

Jan
254
59
23
254
59
Feb
268
142
53
522
201
Mar
927
900
97
1,449
1,101
Apr
1,116
2,065
185
2,565
3,166
May
1,774
3,198
180
4,339
6,364
Jun
3,191
4,917
154
7,530
11,281
Jul
4,209
11,739
Aug
5,453
17,192
Sep
3,513
20,705
Oct
1,358
22,063
Nov
1,314
23,377
Dec
133
23,510
1
The sum of the published States may not equal the total to avoid disclosure of individual operations.

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

3

Percent

1,433
2,961
15,641
53,721
114,634
195,403

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish,
United States, 2009-2010 1
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Percent of
Previous
Year
32
26
51
87
96
92

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

23
39
76
123
147
150

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Alabama, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

1,992
2,490
7,290
10,891
17,599
29,018
36,818
32,334
24,546
14,442
8,762
2,404

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Tons

392
599
3,472
12,416
19,589
27,165

Percent

Tons

20
24
48
114
111
94

4

1,992
4,482
11,772
22,663
40,262
69,280
106,098
138,432
162,978
177,420
186,182
188,586

Tons

392
991
4,463
16,879
36,468
63,633

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

20
22
38
74
91
92

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Arkansas, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Month

Tons

165
509
2,084
3,922
7,437
10,882
10,429
14,450
9,502
2,916
1,310
97

Percent

76
75
1,406
4,087
6,336
7,102

Tons

46
15
67
104
85
65

Tons

165
674
2,758
6,680
14,117
24,999
35,428
49,878
59,380
62,296
63,606
63,703

Percent

76
151
1,557
5,644
11,980
19,082

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish,
Arkansas, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Tons

50
156
314
144
173
283
637
820
389
310
255
117

Percent

27
122
552
718
789
474

Tons

54
78
176
499
456
167

5

Tons

50
206
520
664
837
1,120
1,757
2,577
2,966
3,276
3,531
3,648

Percent of
Previous
Year
46
22
56
84
85
76

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

27
149
701
1,419
2,208
2,682

54
72
135
214
264
239

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Louisiana, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Tons

168
122
518
1,312
1,520
1,556
1,411
1,601
1,180
116
1,435
12

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Percent

7
4
286
565
678
735

Tons

4
3
55
43
45
47

6

168
290
808
2,120
3,640
5,196
6,607
8,208
9,388
9,504
10,939
10,951

Tons

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

7
11
297
862
1,540
2,275

4
4
37
41
42
44

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Mississippi, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Month

782
2,147
6,336
12,628
26,165
45,116
49,001
53,148
41,091
17,762
7,523
222

Percent

224
193
4,536
17,203
29,285
39,337

Tons

29
9
72
136
112
87

782
2,929
9,265
21,893
48,058
93,174
142,175
195,323
236,414
254,176
261,699
261,921

Tons

Tons

41
73
460
855
1,477
2,688
3,445
4,479
2,796
952
1,006
1

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Percent

8
2
280
1,134
2,294
4,287

Tons

20
3
61
133
155
159

7

41
114
574
1,429
2,906
5,594
9,039
13,518
16,314
17,266
18,272
18,273

Percent

224
417
4,953
22,156
51,441
90,778

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish,
Mississippi, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Tons

Percent of
Previous
Year

Tons

29
14
53
101
107
97

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

8
10
290
1,424
3,718
8,005

20
9
51
100
128
143

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Other States East of the Mississippi River, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Tons

357
426
967
1,019
1,504
2,023
2,272
2,449
2,453
1,255
425
128

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Percent

90
123
715
1,563
1,540
2,009

Tons

25
29
74
153
102
99

8

357
783
1,750
2,769
4,273
6,296
8,568
11,017
13,470
14,725
15,150
15,278

Tons

Percent of
Previous
Year
Percent

90
213
928
2,491
4,031
6,040

25
27
53
90
94
96

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Month

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish,
Other States West of the Mississippi River, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Month

Tons

991
1,340
1,732
1,849
3,241
4,528
4,129
3,858
3,353
2,337
1,825
358

Percent

644
534
2,265
2,246
3,485
4,421

Tons

65
40
131
121
108
98

Percent of
Previous
Year

Tons

991
2,331
4,063
5,912
9,153
13,681
17,810
21,668
25,021
27,358
29,183
29,541

Percent

644
1,178
3,443
5,689
9,174
13,595

Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish,
Other States West of the Mississippi River, 2009-2010
By Month
Percent of
Cumulative
Previous
2009
2010
2009
2010
Year
Tons

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

Tons

143
7
58
37
72
98
62
68
255
28
27
9

Percent

2
2
42
102
31
69

Tons

1
29
72
276
43
70

9

Percent of
Previous
Year

Tons

143
150
208
245
317
415
477
545
800
828
855
864

65
51
85
96
100
99

Percent

2
4
46
148
179
248

1
3
22
60
56
60

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Reliability of Catfish Feed Deliveries Estimates
Survey Procedures: All participating catfish feed mills are feed mills that produce and deliver
catfish feed to bonafide catfish producers. Survey data for catfish feed are collected from feed mills
by the USDA-NASS Mississippi Field Office, which is responsible for ensuring survey coverage is
as complete as possible. Mills are contacted by mail, telephone, fax, or internet. Diligent effort is
made to ensure that all operations are accounted for in the estimate.
Estimation Procedures: The "Catfish Feed Deliveries" report refers strictly to catfish feed
delivered to bonafide catfish producers and excludes catfish feed delivered to producers of other
species. The totals include both bagged and bulk feed. Prior to summarization, questionnaires are
compared to previous reports for comparability. Estimates are made for feed mills whose reports
are not available in time to be included in the release. Those mills are identified by an asterisk on
page 11 of this release. Estimates are based on the mill's previous reports and current conditions.
Published totals are a straight summation of the individual reports and estimated data.
If a mill uses a fiscal accounting system, proration is used to convert reported data to a calendar
month basis.
Two unusual features of this report are worthy of note: (1) cooperating feed mills are listed by
name, and (2) it is impossible for the public to infer the amount of catfish feed produced in each
State. Since many mills deliver feed to more than one State and to growers of other species, any
inferences about overall production per State or per mill are not valid.
Revision Policy: Revisions may be necessary in the following month's publication pending a
review of late reports received from mills. Revisions to previous estimates are made to improve
month-to-month relationships. Estimates for the previous month are subject to revision in all States
and regions monthly totals. In February, all monthly estimates for the previous year are reviewed
and subject to revisions. The review is primarily based on data that may have been received after
the original estimates were published.
Reliability: Estimates are based on data from cooperating catfish feed mills, and therefore have no
sampling variability. However, estimates may be subject to errors such as omissions, duplication,
mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing of data. These errors are minimized through strict
quality controls in the edit and summarization process and a careful review of all reported data for
consistency and reasonableness.

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

10

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

Terms and Definitions Used for Catfish Feed Deliveries Estimates
Broodfish - Fish kept for egg production, including males. Broodfish produce the fertilized eggs
that go to hatcheries. The most desirable size is 3 to 10 pounds or 4 to 6 years of age.
Catfish Feed - For the purposes of this report catfish feed is defined as feed delivered to bonafide
catfish producers. Thus, it is not the absolute total amount of feed produced or even sold by a mill.
(Some catfish feed is sold to producers of other species of fish.) The definition includes medicated
feed. Catfish feed is designed to float on the surface of the water. Catfish are fed this way from the
moment they hatch. Therefore, they learn to go to the surface for feed. The result is a clean
nutritious diet for American farm raised catfish.
Catfish Feed for Foodsize Fish - Feed containing pellets larger than 1/8 of an inch.
Catfish Feed for Fingerlings/Broodfish - Feed containing pellets 1/8 of an inch or smaller.
Fingerlings – Fish weighing 2 to 60 pounds per 1,000 fish or 2 to 6 inches in length.
Foodsize Fish - Fish being grown commercially for human consumption. Optimum sizes at harvest
depend on the market but are generally no lower than 3/4 pound but near one pound.
Data were compiled in cooperation with the following feed mills:
Alabama Feed Mill LLC
Arkat Feeds
Cargill Animal Nutrition
Carolina Fish Feeds
Delta Western
Fishbelt Feeds Inc.
Flint River Mills Inc.

Land O Lakes
Melick Aqua Feed LLC
Rangen Inc.
Silver Cup
Southfresh Feeds
Star Milling Co.
Topwater Feed Mill

Information Contacts
Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service to contact for additional information.
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ................................................................... (202) 720-3570
Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ........................... (202) 720-4447
Doug Bounds - Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ............... (202) 690-3237
Charles Butler - Catfish Feed Deliveries ............................................................ (601) 965-4575
David Colwell - Cold Storage ............................................................................. (202) 720-8784
Chris Hawthorn - Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production,
Census of Aquaculture, Egg Products, Mink ........................... (202) 720-0585
Kim Linonis - Layers, Eggs ................................................................................ (202) 690-8632
Troy Marshall - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery, Honey ............................ (202) 720-3244

Catfish Feed Deliveries
July 2010

11

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA

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