Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Efficiency of feed in bluegill

Found another interesting article.
Lakeworks BG feed study

They measured bluegill wt gain/50 lb bag and found AQ500 better than Cargill 45-10 and 45-12 and then GFC was the lowest. They point out that even though AQ500 is more expensive, it is cheaper per pound put on the fish.

I did a regression analysis on those four points to determine the role of protein and fat content. You can predict wt gain/bag for other feeds then.

Wt Gain(lbs) = -0.96*(%Protein) + 2.27*(%Fat) +39.31
BG gain better from higher fat and lower protein is what that says.
That is rather surprising as people seem to talk about high protein being important. It is actually better to have lower protein for strictly BG weight gain. Would have to assume predators would benefit much more from protein content. Will have to see if I can find a similar feed conversion study for bass.

So here are predicted lbs gained for BG for feeds out there.

West Virginia State did a similar study and got similar results.
http://aquaculture.davis.wvu.edu/r/download/28443
They tested feeds with protein 35-46% and fat 3-18%. They conclude the best growth came from 44.5protein & 18% fat feed.
My regression analysis again says protein is not a driver (essentially zero influence, but still negative) and fat is the key.

Per other literature from profs in Iowa and Mo, bluegill want 36% protein during grow-out phase. That's the low range among fish feeds.
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G9473
http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/aquaculture/bluegill-and-sunfish/

Talk centers on protein needs of bluegill, but nobody seems to discuss the data saying fat requirements are more important.

Yes on the lower % of pretein for BG. But unfortunately in a pond setting you can't tell LMB not to eat the lower % feed and only eat the good stuff.

So the grower 400 has a conversion rate of 1.67 pounds of feed to grow one pound of bluegill at 45-16?

50 lbs. divided by 32.37?



Anyone know what the protein/fat content of the 600 is right off the bat? I'm not even sure it's on the new bag anymore.

Yessir. that would be the math for conversion.

This stuff? (off purina web) looks like 41/12
5D06 1468 AquaMax™ Developer 600 9/32 7.1 mm Extruded - Float 41 12

I see it now in your chart. Looks like conversion climbs to 1.84 with the Sportfish 600.