Floating In-Pond Raceway Systems in Eastern Kentucky: Extension Demonstration

John Kelso, Extension & Research Assistant, Ken Semmens, Ph.D., Professor, and Robert Durborow, Ph.D., Assistant Research Director & Professor, Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment; School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences

Situation

James and Dennis Ulrich of East Burnstadt, KY expressed interest in culturing and selling catfish and rainbow trout in a floating in-pond raceway system on James’ farm. The brothers had experience producing catfish sporadically over the past 15 years.  Consultation with KSU Extension led to a collaborative agreement to perform an Extension Demonstration with Dr. Ken Semmens and Extension & Research Assistant John Kelso in the summer of 2017.  

Response

In July 2017, a floating in-pond raceway system was installed in Dennis Ulrich’s 1-acre pond using funding from Dr. Semmens’ USDA Capacity Building Grant that included an Extension component. Initial stocking of catfish and rainbow trout occurred in the fall of 2017.

Results/Impact

• July 2017. Raceway assembling was begun.
• Fall, 2017. Raceways were stocked with rainbow trout and catfish.
• May 14, 2018. The first trout were harvested and custom-processed by Shuckman’s Fish Company and Smokery, Inc., Louisville, KY, owned by Louis Shuckman. A whole smoked product was processed, packaged, labeled, frozen, and sold in compliance with local regulations.  
• September 11, 2018.  2,000 pounds of catfish were sold to a recreational market at $1.70/lb.
• Fall, 2018. Second group of rainbow trout were stocked into the raceways.
• March 20, 2019. Catfish and trout were sold to a recreational market.
• August 2019. Tilapia were stocked in the quiescent zone (the last 8 feet of the raceway).  This introduced the farm to tilapia as an additional product and served to help in optimal utilization of waste from the other fish.  
• September 25, 2019. A Field Day was held at Ulrich’s Farm – The Extension Service offered a field day in London at three farms; a hemp farm, a local dairy, and James Urich’s farm were included.  A fish fry was served to conclude this meeting using the Urich’s catfish processed in the KSU Mobile Processing Unit.  
• October 2019. First sales of both catfish and tilapia were made through a church in Lexington.  
• October 22, 2019. Catfish were harvested for a recreational market, using a modified fish basket, for the first time, to reduce physical labor and improve worker safety.
• February 2020. More catfish were sold.
• June 3, 2020. 1,000 pounds of hybrid catfish (channel x blue catfish) and 700 pounds of channel catfish were sold to Mike Nardella.