An Alabama university has developed a manually fertilised artificial hybrid catfish that is designed to grow faster than its slow maturing natural cousins, probably boosting the profits of the US southern state’s US$500m catfish growing industry.
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Following 30 years of work, Auburn University researchers cross-fertilised two species that do not naturally mate – the female channel catfish and a male blue catfish. They also created an artificial fertilisation technique that could create hybrids on a commercial scale. The artificial species also has a smaller head allowing for more meat. Its fast growth cuts the waiting time for fish to become a marketable size. The hybrid will initially be grown in Alabama.
