Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is widely used as a measure of feed use efficiency in commercial aquaculture production and research. Surprisingly, little work has focused on the factors that affect FCR in plankton-based, commercial ponds despite the widespread use of FCR as a production metric. Proposals to use FCR as a numeric standard for environmental regulation (mandatory or voluntary) raise questions as to whether FCR meets the reliability and consistency requirements of a good metric, and whether it would lead to desired behavioral changes. This article summarizes FCR data from university research verification programs conducted on US catfish farms and databases developed from commercial farm records. The relevant research literature is synthesized with respect to factors that affect FCR. US catfish is used as a case study because pond-level data from verification trials (Extension/research-led on-farm trials of best available science) and commercial farm records are available. While specific to US catfish production, the analysis provides insights into factors affecting FCR that likely apply to other pond-based aquaculture species. Commercial verification of pond data showed (1) significant variation in FCR (coefficients of variation from 1% to 47%) among ponds with similar stocking, feeding, and aeration rates; (2) significant effects of survival on FCR; and (3) no significant effects on FCR of yield, feed type, management, or production system. Improvements in FCR would occur with improved survival that requires improved management of federally protected fish-eating bird populations and development of additional, effective vaccines for diseases. FCRs were found to not exhibit the degree of reliability and consistency required for use as an effective metric or numeric standard for regulatory purposes. Use of FCR for mandatory or voluntary regulation is unlikely to lead to behavioral changes by farmers.

中文翻译：

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影响美国商业鲶鱼生产池塘饲料转化率的因素

饲料转化率（FCR）在商业水产养殖生产和研究中广泛用作饲料利用效率的衡量标准。令人惊讶的是，尽管 FCR 被广泛用作生产指标，但很少有人关注影响浮游生物商业池塘 FCR 的因素。使用 FCR 作为环境监管数字标准（强制性或自愿性）的提议提出了这样的问题：FCR 是否满足良好指标的可靠性和一致性要求，以及它是否会导致期望的行为改变。本文总结了在美国鲶鱼养殖场进行的大学研究验证项目的 FCR 数据以及根据商业养殖场记录开发的数据库。针对影响FCR的因素综合了相关研究文献。美国鲶鱼被用作案例研究，因为来自验证试验（最佳可用科学的扩展/研究主导的农场试验）和商业农场记录的池塘水平数据是可用的。虽然该分析针对的是美国鲶鱼生产，但它提供了对影响 FCR 的因素的见解，这些因素可能适用于其他池塘水产养殖品种。池塘数据的商业验证表明：(1) 在具有相似放养、投喂和通气率的池塘中，FCR 存在显着差异（变异系数从 1% 到 47%）； (2) 生存对FCR的显着影响； (3) 产量、饲料类型、管理或生产系统对饲料转化率没有显着影响。 FCR 的改善将随着生存率的提高而发生，这需要改善对联邦保护的食鱼鸟类种群的管理并开发额外的有效疾病疫苗。结果发现，FCR 没有表现出用作监管目的的有效度量或数字标准所需的可靠性和一致性程度。使用 FCR 进行强制或自愿监管不太可能导致农民的行为改变。