Fish-Cum-Duck Integrated Farming- A Case Study

Abstract

Integrated farming system plays vital role in judicious utilization of small water holdings in rural sector for enhancing animal protein production. Considering the potential of duck excreta as manurial input in fish culture, a grow-out trial was carried out in a 0.1 ha earthen pond at the fish farm of the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, India during 2006-2007 to evaluate the productivity from fish-duck integrated system. The pond was stocked with five carp species viz., rohu, mrigal, grass carp, silver carp and common carp @7500 fingerlings/ha (4.7±1.0 to 10.8±0.4 g). One-day-old layer ducklings (100 nos Khaki Campbell) were reared on the pond embankment in a two-storied shed (6 m length x 3 m width x 0.8 m height). Ducks were provided with commercial starter feed @ 22-50 g/bird/d for initial four weeks and subsequently, 50% commercial feed was replaced with duckweed viz., Lemna and Spirodela, fed twice daily. The excreta and leftover duck feed from shed were directly washed to pond as manurial input. The water, soil and excreta were analyzed periodically. The survival levels of different species were rohu 97.3%, mrigal 96.8%, grass carp 63.15%, silver carp 47.36% and common carp 99%. The net fish biomass production recorded after one year of culture period was 4174.5 kg/ha. The stocked common carp also found to be self bred resulting 198 additional fish of smaller size (46.85 kg). After 240 days culture period, female ducks started laying eggs (592). There was a declining growth trend observed after 318 days. In addition, 106.4 kg duck meat (85 nos. duck, av. wt. 1.25 kg) was produced. The study reaffirmed the higher production potential of carp polyculture with duck excreta without any supplementary feed.