Catfish Feed Deliveries ISSN: 1944-9267 Released January 20, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). December 2011 Catfish Feed Deliveries Up 19 Percent from Last Year Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during December 2011 was 3,960 tons, up 19 percent from December 2010, but down 69 percent from the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 3,930 tons, up 20 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 30 tons, down 44 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. December feed delivered to Alabama catfish growers for foodsize fish totaled 1,841 tons, up 21 percent from last year. Alabama accounted for 47 percent of the total foodsize catfish feed delivered to United States farmers. The other major States with catfish feed deliveries for foodsize fish in December and their comparison to the previous year were Arkansas with 129 tons, up 21 percent; Louisiana with 30 tons, up 11 percent; and Mississippi with 758 tons, up 97 percent. Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - United States: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ----- percent ------ tons ----- percent : January ..............: 1,433 1,045 73 1,433 1,045 73 February .............: 1,528 4,631 303 2,961 5,676 192 March ................: 12,680 17,797 140 15,641 23,473 150 April ................: 38,080 29,131 76 53,721 52,604 98 May ..................: 60,913 47,896 79 114,634 100,500 88 June .................: 80,769 73,483 91 195,403 173,983 89 July .................: 89,734 80,905 90 285,137 254,888 89 August ...............: 86,024 92,282 107 371,161 347,170 94 September ............: 77,963 65,023 83 449,124 412,193 92 October 1 .... : 33,567 37,703 112 482,691 449,896 93 November .............: 12,525 11,407 91 495,216 461,303 93 December .............: 3,270 3,930 120 498,486 465,233 93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Revised 2011 data only. Fingerlings and Broodfish Catfish Feed Delivered - United States: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ----- percent : January ..............: 59 76 129 59 76 129 February .............: 142 328 231 201 404 201 March ................: 900 568 63 1,101 972 88 April ................: 2,065 1,177 57 3,166 2,149 68 May ..................: 3,198 2,172 68 6,364 4,321 68 June .................: 4,917 4,038 82 11,281 8,359 74 July .................: 6,579 5,831 89 17,860 14,190 79 August ...............: 7,004 8,210 117 24,864 22,400 90 September ............: 4,949 3,734 75 29,813 26,134 88 October ..............: 2,198 2,311 105 32,011 28,445 89 November .............: 346 1,176 340 32,357 29,621 92 December .............: 54 30 56 32,411 29,651 91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foodsize Catfish Delivered - Alabama: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ----- percent ------ tons ----- percent : January ..............: 392 212 54 392 212 54 February .............: 599 1,647 275 991 1,859 188 March ................: 3,472 7,597 219 4,463 9,456 212 April ................: 12,416 10,192 82 16,879 19,648 116 May ..................: 19,589 18,168 93 36,468 37,816 104 June .................: 27,165 27,706 102 63,633 65,522 103 July .................: 30,783 27,527 89 94,416 93,049 99 August ...............: 30,537 32,038 105 124,953 125,087 100 September ............: 25,700 21,310 83 150,653 146,397 97 October ..............: 10,298 12,706 123 160,951 159,103 99 November .............: 5,619 4,924 88 166,570 164,027 98 December .............: 1,524 1,841 121 168,094 165,868 99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - Arkansas: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ----- percent : January ..............: 76 52 68 76 52 68 February .............: 75 462 616 151 514 340 March ................: 1,406 1,431 102 1,557 1,945 125 April ................: 4,087 2,548 62 5,644 4,493 80 May ..................: 6,336 3,924 62 11,980 8,417 70 June .................: 7,102 5,970 84 19,082 14,387 75 July .................: 8,802 6,792 77 27,884 21,179 76 August ...............: 8,559 7,042 82 36,443 28,221 77 September ............: 7,740 5,766 74 44,183 33,987 77 October ..............: 3,132 3,097 99 47,315 37,084 78 November .............: 643 603 94 47,958 37,687 79 December .............: 107 129 121 48,065 37,816 79 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fingerlings and Broodfish Catfish Feed Delivered - Arkansas: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ---- percent : January ..............: 27 10 37 27 10 37 February .............: 122 96 79 149 106 71 March ................: 552 133 24 701 239 34 April ................: 718 131 18 1,419 370 26 May ..................: 789 403 51 2,208 773 35 June .................: 474 658 139 2,682 1,431 53 July .................: 902 676 75 3,584 2,107 59 August ...............: 976 1,361 139 4,560 3,468 76 September ............: 1,086 912 84 5,646 4,380 78 October ..............: 516 605 117 6,162 4,985 81 November .............: 82 125 152 6,244 5,110 82 December .............: 30 - (X) 6,274 5,110 81 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (X) Not applicable. Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - Louisiana: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- tons --- percent ----- tons ---- percent : January ..............: 7 18 257 7 18 257 February .............: 4 83 2,075 11 101 918 March ................: 286 298 104 297 399 134 April ................: 565 348 62 862 747 87 May ..................: 678 493 73 1,540 1,240 81 June .................: 735 537 73 2,275 1,777 78 July .................: 679 339 50 2,954 2,116 72 August ...............: 601 503 84 3,555 2,619 74 September ............: 500 272 54 4,055 2,891 71 October ..............: 136 154 113 4,191 3,045 73 November .............: 67 48 72 4,258 3,093 73 December .............: 27 30 111 4,285 3,123 73 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - Mississippi: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ----- percent ------ tons ----- percent : January ..............: 224 209 93 224 209 93 February .............: 193 1,456 754 417 1,665 399 March ................: 4,536 5,746 127 4,953 7,411 150 April ................: 17,203 12,757 74 22,156 20,168 91 May ..................: 29,285 21,465 73 51,441 41,633 81 June .................: 39,337 33,344 85 90,778 74,977 83 July .................: 43,676 40,684 93 134,454 115,661 86 August ...............: 40,022 46,342 116 174,476 162,003 93 September ............: 37,849 32,582 86 212,325 194,585 92 October ..............: 15,488 16,991 110 227,813 211,576 93 November .............: 3,900 3,155 81 231,713 214,731 93 December .............: 385 758 197 232,098 215,489 93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fingerlings and Broodfish Catfish Feed Delivered - Mississippi: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ----- percent : January ..............: 8 47 588 8 47 588 February .............: 2 204 10,200 10 251 2,510 March ................: 280 365 130 290 616 212 April ................: 1,134 1,000 88 1,424 1,616 113 May ..................: 2,294 1,657 72 3,718 3,273 88 June .................: 4,287 3,277 76 8,005 6,550 82 July .................: 5,579 5,036 90 13,584 11,586 85 August ...............: 5,900 6,642 113 19,484 18,228 94 September ............: 3,723 2,526 68 23,207 20,754 89 October ..............: 1,593 1,590 100 24,800 22,344 90 November .............: 230 1,029 447 25,030 23,373 93 December .............: 1 13 1,300 25,031 23,386 93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - Other States East of the Mississippi River: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ----- percent : January ..............: 90 88 98 90 88 98 February .............: 123 304 247 213 392 184 March ................: 715 1,362 190 928 1,754 189 April ................: 1,563 1,505 96 2,491 3,259 131 May ..................: 1,540 1,338 87 4,031 4,597 114 June .................: 2,009 1,914 95 6,040 6,511 108 July .................: 1,647 1,914 116 7,687 8,425 110 August ...............: 1,923 2,113 110 9,610 10,538 110 September ............: 2,266 1,667 74 11,876 12,205 103 October 1 .... : 1,149 1,932 168 13,025 14,137 109 November .............: 604 728 121 13,629 14,865 109 December .............: 103 181 176 13,732 15,046 110 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Revised 2011 data only. Foodsize Catfish Feed Delivered - Other States West of the Mississippi River: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- tons ---- percent ----- tons ----- percent : January ..............: 644 466 72 644 466 72 February .............: 534 679 127 1,178 1,145 97 March ................: 2,265 1,363 60 3,443 2,508 73 April ................: 2,246 1,781 79 5,689 4,289 75 May ..................: 3,485 2,508 72 9,174 6,797 74 June .................: 4,421 4,012 91 13,595 10,809 80 July .................: 4,147 3,649 88 17,742 14,458 81 August ...............: 4,382 4,244 97 22,124 18,702 85 September ............: 3,908 3,426 88 26,032 22,128 85 October ..............: 3,364 2,823 84 29,396 24,951 85 November .............: 1,692 1,949 115 31,088 26,900 87 December .............: 1,124 991 88 32,212 27,891 87 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fingerlings and Broodfish Catfish Feed Delivered - Other States West of the Mississippi River: 2010-2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : By month : 2011 as : Cumulative : 2011 as :-------------------: percent :-------------------: percent : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 : 2010 : 2011 : of 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --- tons --- percent ---- tons --- percent : January ..............: 2 - (X) 2 - (X) February .............: 2 - (X) 4 - (X) March ................: 42 18 43 46 18 39 April ................: 102 6 6 148 24 16 May ..................: 31 5 16 179 29 16 June .................: 69 18 26 248 47 19 July .................: 62 4 6 310 51 16 August ...............: 48 95 198 358 146 41 September ............: 78 97 124 436 243 56 October ..............: 46 14 30 482 257 53 November .............: 6 4 67 488 261 53 December .............: 1 2 200 489 263 54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (X) Not applicable. Statistical Methodology 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 10 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. Data were compiled in cooperation with the following feed mills: Alabama Feed Mill LLC Land O Lakes Arkat Feeds Melick Aqua Feed LLC Cargill Animal Nutrition Rangen Inc. Carolina Fish Feeds Silver Cup Delta Western SouthFresh Feeds Fishbelt Feeds Inc. Star Milling Co. Flint River Mills Inc. Topwater Feed Mill 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. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ......................................................... (202) 720-3570 Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section .................................. (202) 720-4447 Cody Brokmeyer - Honey, Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ................. (202) 690-3237 Charles Butler - Catfish Feed Deliveries ................................................... (601) 965-4575 David Colwell - Cold Storage ............................................................... (202) 720-8784 Kim Linonis - Layers, Eggs ................................................................. (202) 690-8632 Miste Salmon - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery, Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production, Census of Aquaculture, Egg Products, Mink .. (202) 720-3244 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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