Production as well as growth of fish in the integrated fish-poultry systems were found better than those of polyculture system. Highest growth of fish in integrated system was observed at Faridpur FTEC which might be due to lower stocking density of fish (7890/ha) than that of other ponds (11,340 – 15,580/ha) (Table XVI). However, the fish in both the cases, reached marketable size of around 400 g within the period of 3–5 months from stocking. This fast growth rate facilitated practicing partial harvesting and restocking of fish during the culture period.
Net production of fish in semi-intensive polyculture system varied from 2941–4202 kg/ha/yr which has the relevance to the findings of 2470 – 3700 kg/ha/yr in Noakhali area (Ameen 1987).
Production rates of carps in both fish-chicken and fish-chicken-duck systems were found encouraging. Net production of fish varied from 3585 to 4759 kg/ha/yr. This figure is similar to the result of 4500 kg f1sh/ha/yr in fish-chicken integrated system at FRI (FRI 1991) and 3543 – 4323 kg/ha/yr in integrated fish-duck farming in India (Jhingran & Sharma 1980). Production figure did not show any notable differences between fish-chicken and fish-chicken-duck systems, or higher and lower poultry densities either (Table XVI).
TABLE XVI: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FISH PRODUCTION AND STOCKING DENSITIES OF FISH AND POULTRY
| Farms Name | Density of poultry (No./ha) | Fish at stocking | Gross av.wt (g) | Gross survival (%) | Net fish yield kg/ha | Culture period (month) | Esti. fish yield (kg/ha /yr) | |||
| No/ha | kg/ha | Av.wt.(g) | ||||||||
| Tongi FSMF | Chicken | 808 | 15580 | 472.2 | 30.3 | 335 | 87.55 | 4098 | 11 | 4471 |
| Faridpur FTEC | Chicken | 523 | 7890 | 84.27 | 10.7 | 753 | 61.74 | 3585 | 12 | 3585 |
| Natore FSMF | Chicken | 400 | 11340 | 73.7 | 6.9 | 333 | 86.35 | 3450 | 8.7 | 4759 |
| Karbala | Chicken | 272 | 12276 | 591.3 | 48.2 | 504 | 84.29 | 4625 | 12 | 4625 |
| FSMF | Duck | 375 | ||||||||
Higher density of poultry at Tongi FSMF than that of other ponds did not contribute to higher production of fish. However, better production rate of fish has been observed in pond with low stocking density of fish and chicken at Faridpur FTEC (pond 2) and Natore FSMF (pond 3) than those of two ponds at Tongi FSMF (pond 1) and Karbala FSMF(pond 4) with higher stocking of chicken and fish (Table XVI).
Lower production of fish (3585 kg/ha/yr) at Faridpur FTEC was due to low survivility (61.7 %) resulting from predation and poaching of fish. It was reported that the surface feeding catla (Catla catla) became the easy victim of fishing eagle hence resulted very low survivality( 27.5%).
The chicken and duck systems at Karbala FSMF committed loss, which was mainly due to low laying capacity of chicken and duck associated with improper management. Although the chicken sub-system at Tongi FSMF showed better performance in terms of egg laying rate, the system could not make profit by Itself. This was due to starting with day-old chick. The laying period was only 6 months out of 11 months fish culture period. It is obvious that the chicken variety (Shaver cross hybrid) at Tongi FSMF would have made profit by itself 1f they were reared for 1 year effective laying period.
Although net production of fish was found less in polyculture system, the net return over operating cost was found higher (63.29 – 96.51%) than that of integrated fish-poultry system (15.75% – 22.47%) . The low return from fish-poultry system was due to loss/poor return in poultry sub-system, though return from fish sub-system covered the loss. The net return over operating costs was found higher in Tongi (22.47%) than that of other ponds at Faridpur , Natore and Karbala (Table VX). This was due to better laying rate of chicken and higher price of eggs at Tongi FSMF because of its nearness to Dhaka. The loss or profit, in integrated fish-poultry system, is thus primarily dependent on the poultry sub-system i.e. good layer variety, improved management and good marketing outlet.
All sorts of fish was observed feeding directly on poultry drops/spilled feed from poultry house above the pond. Common/mirror carp and grass carp were found under the poultry house in search of food in most of the time. Delmendo (1980) mentioned that about 70–92% of nutrients (N, P, K) from the feeds fed to animal are recovered in their excreta. In addition, waste poultry feed mixed with the excreta make a good protein rich feed for fish.
The study revealed that a good return from integrated fish-poultry system could be obtained under proper management of the sub-systems which include optimum stocking density of fast growing compatible fish species (6500 – 7500 fingerlings/ha), Shaver cross or ISA Brown layer chicken variety (500 – 600 birds/ha), partial harvesting and restocking and proper management. Phyomee and White leg-horn chicken and duck is not recommended for integrated fish-poultry system because of their low laying rate. However, 1f the duck 1s introduced, the size of fish fingerlings should be larger than 10 cm in order to escape from duck predation.
The management of poultry sub-system needs special attention hence general fish farmers are not competent enough to handle the sensitive poultry system. Alternatively, the poultry raisers, profitably operating poultry birds at their capacity, could easily integrate the fish sub-system with poultry and thus could make better use of resources with substantial income.
The study eventually revealed that the technique of low-cost semi-intensive polyculture would be the best option of fish production for the rural fish farmers than that of high-cost and sensitive technique of integrated fish-poultry farming system.
The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to Mr. P.C. Choudhury, CTA, FAO/UNDP project BGD/87/045, for his advice and valuable guidance. Special thanks are extended to Mr. A.K. Ataur Rahman, Director, Department of Fisheries(DOF), and other staffs, specially Mr. M. Sanaullah, Principal, FTEC, Mr. Hassan, Farm Manager, Tongi and Mr. P. Jasimullah and Mr. M. Hasan, Farm Manager, Natore, FSMF for providing facilities in conducting the culture trials in different Fish Seed Multiplication Farms(FSMFs).
Ameen, M. 1987. Fisheries Resources and Opportunites in Freshwater Fish Culture in Bangladesh. NRD-II Project/DANIDA, Noakhali, Bangladesh. 244pp.
Delmendo, M, N. 1980. A review of integrated livestock-fowl-fish farming system. Proc. Conf. on Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture Farming System, Manila, Philippines, 6–9 August 1979; 59–71p.
DOF, 1991. Fish Catch Statistics of Bangladesh, Department of Fisheries, 1987–88: 36pp.
FRI, 1991. Manual on Integrated Chicken-cum-Fish culture, Extension Material Series No. 7, Director, Fisheries Research Institute, Mymenshing: 16pp.
Jhingran V.G and Sharma, B.K. 1980. Integrated Livestock-Fish Farming in India. Proc. Conf. on Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture Farming Systems, Manila, Philippines: 135–142p.
Rahman, A. K. A. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka: 364pp.
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