Selection of ponds:
In selecting demonstration ponds for integrated fish-poultry farming, following main criteria were considered:
- medium sized ponds suitable for carp production that ranges from 1090m2 - 4000m2;
- having facilities for periodic water replenishment as well as dewatering;
- retains water round the year;
- fish seeds and other production inputs, poultry feed ingredients and medicines are locally available;
- having good demonstration value and training facilities.
Considering the aforesaid criteria, following 4 ponds were selected at 4 DOF FSMFs located at 4 different parts of the country (Table -III).
TABLE-III: SELECTED FARM PONDS FOR INTEGRATED FISH CULTURE DEMONSTRATION
| Farm Name | Pond size (m2) | Av. depth (m) | Type of integration |
| 1. Tongi FSMF | 1335 | 2.0 | Carp and layer chicken |
| 2. Faridpur FTEC | 1090 | 2.5 | Carp and layer chicken |
| 3. Natore FSMF | 2500 | 3.0 | Carp and layer chicken |
| 4. Karbala FSMF | 4000 | 2.5 | Carp and layer chicken and duck |
Pond preparation:
In all the 4 ponds unwanted fishes were eradicated by complete dewatering by means of low-lift pumps. After dewatering, pond bottoms were exposed to sunlight for 3–4 days and then treated with lime @300 kg/ha. Base manuring was done after 4–5 days of liming with dry poultry drops/cow dung @1500–2000 kg/ha. The manure was spread at a time evenly all over the pond bottom. Application of inorganic manure was avoided. Immediately after manuring, pond was gradually filled in with water from adjacent pond and/or from tube-well over a period of about 5–7 days.
Stocking:
Stocking of ponds with fingerlings was done after 5–7 days of base manuring when observed that natural fish food organisms (phyto and zooplankton) were produced in the pond water in sufficient quantity.
Stocking density of fish varied from 7890 – 15580 fingerlings/ha. Fish fingerlings were collected from both DoF's FSMF and private fish nurseries. Average weight of fingerlings varied from 2.0 – 157 g. Details of pond-wise stocking rates and ratios of 4 demonstration ponds are shown in Table-IV.
TABLE - IV: STOCKING DETAILS AT DIFFERENT CULTURE/DEMONSTRATION PONDS
| Stocking details of fingerlings | ||||||||
| Farms Name and Culture System | Pond Area (m2) | Date | Species | Number | Av. wt. (g) | Total wt (kg) | ||
| Pond | Hectare | Pond | Hectare | |||||
| 1.Tongi FSMF Fish-chicken integrated culture | 1,335 | 11-Nov-90 | S.carp | 200 | 1498 | 45.0 | 9.00 | 67.40 |
| 11-Nov-90 | Catla | 140 | 1,049 | 70.0 | 9.80 | 73.40 | ||
| 11-Nov-90 | Rui | 220 | 1,648 | 29.0 | 6.40 | 47.80 | ||
| 11-Nov-90 | Sarputi | 170 | 1,273 | 10.0 | 1.70 | 12.70 | ||
| 11-Nov-90 | C.carp | 270 | 2022 | 45.0 | 12.15 | 91.00 | ||
| 13-Dec-90 | Mrigal | 280 | 2,097 | 30.0 | 8.40 | 62.90 | ||
| 22-Apr-91 | Sarputi | 210 | 1,573 | 19.0 | 4.00 | 29.90 | ||
| 20-May-91 | G.carp | 70 | 524 | 12.0 | 0.84 | 6.30 | ||
| 20-May-91 | S.carp | 150 | 1124 | 12.0 | 1.80 | 13.50 | ||
| 13-Jun-91 | Magur | 40 | 300 | 20.0 | 0.80 | 6.00 | ||
| 22-Jul-91 | S.carp | 330 | 2472 | 25.0 | 8.20 | 61.30 | ||
| Total | 2,080 | 15,580 | 63.09 | 472.20 | ||||
| 2. Faridpur, FTEC Fish-chicken Integrated culture | 1,090 | 04-Jun-91 | S.carp | 360 | 3,303 | 11.0 | 3.96 | 36.30 |
| 04-Jun-91 | M.carp | 280 | 2569 | 8.0 | 2.24 | 20.50 | ||
| 04-Jun-91 | G.carp | 80 | 734 | 10.0 | 0.80 | 7.30 | ||
| 10-Jul-91 | Catla | 40 | 367 | 30.0 | 1.20 | 11.00 | ||
| 23-Dec-91 | S.carp | 100 | 917 | 10.0 | 1.00 | 9.17 | ||
| Total | 660 | 7,890 | 9.20 | 84.27 | ||||
| 3. Natore, FSMF Fish-chicken integrated culture | 2,500 | 05-Apr-91 | S.carp | 875 | 3,500 | 2.5 | 2.18 | 8.70 |
| 05-Apr-91 | Catla | 235 | 940 | 30.0 | 7.05 | 28.20 | ||
| 05-Apr-91 | G.carp | 250 | 1,000 | 14.0 | 3.50 | 14.00 | ||
| 05-Apr-91 | C/M.carp | 775 | 3,100 | 6.9 | 5.35 | 21.40 | ||
| 08-Jun-91 | S.carp | 700 | 2,800 | 2.0 | 1.40 | 5.60 | ||
| Total | 2,835 | 11,340 | 19.46 | 77.90 | ||||
| 4. Karbala FSMF Fish-chicken-duck integrated culture | 4,000 | 02-Nov-90 | S.carp | 2,200 | 5,500 | 40.0 | 88.00 | 220.00 |
| 02-Nov-90 | G.carp | 300 | 750 | 90.0 | 27.00 | 67.50 | ||
| 02-Nov-90 | Rui | 500 | 1,250 | 9.0 | 4.50 | 11.30 | ||
| 02-Nov-90 | Mrigal | 800 | 2,000 | 12.0 | 9.60 | 24.00 | ||
| 02-Nov-90 | C.carp | 500 | 1,250 | 23.0 | 11.50 | 29.00 | ||
| 07-Jun-91 | S.carp | 610 | 1,525 | 157.0 | 95.80 | 239.50 | ||
| Total | 4,910.00 | 12,275 | 236.40 | 591.30 | ||||
Manuring:
Besides base manuring during pond preparation, no additional manure was applied to ponds throughout the culture period as the purpose of regular continuous manuring was done by the poultry birds (chicken and ducks) housed above the pond water. However, some additional manure in the form of compost was given to support high density of fish at Karbala FSMF (pond no.4). Some cow dung was also added to Natore pond from time to time as the number of birds in that pond was not adequate to manure the pond optimally.
Feeding:
Application of supplementary feed for fish was avoided throughout the culture period as the poultry drops and spilled food from poultry house provided feed for the fish in pond. However, in all the 4 ponds grass and duck weed (Lemna minor) were provided for feeding the grass carp.
Water management:
Although the ponds received continued poultry drops on a regular basis from the poultry shed made above the pond, the water quality apparently did not show any problem that might cause distress to fish. As such no attempt was undertaken to change or recirculate water. However, in Tongi pond, periodic replenishment of water had to make because of high seepage rate.
Sampling:
With a view to monitor the growth rate, health condition and survival of fish, regular sampling was done on a monthly basis by seine net. Fish weight was taken by standard spring balance.
Harvesting and marketing:
Partial harvesting of large-size fishes started after 3–4 months of stocking when they reached around 500 g. Immediately after partial harvesting, ponds were restocked with fingerlings of same species. Culture period of fish was fixed for 1 year. Final harvesting of fish was done at the end of a year by seine net with gradual dewatering of ponds over the period 3–5 days. Fish were sold at local markets.
Poultry varieties
Three different varieties of layer chicken (viz. Shaver cross hybrid, ISA Brown hybrid and Phyomee (Pakistani)) were kept in three different demonstration ponds In another demonstration pond both ducks (Khaki-campbell x Bangladeshi local variety) and chicken (White leg-horn) were kept together in separate houses.
Chicken and ducks were purchased from government and private poultry farms at different ages (Table-V).
TABLE-V: INFORMATION ON POULTRY BIRDS FOR DEMONSTRATION PONDS
| Farm Name | Pond Size (m2) | Poultry variety | Number | Date of Stocking | Age (day) | Price (Tk/pc) | Source of Poultry | |
| Pond | Ha | |||||||
| 1.Tongi, FSMF | 1335 | Shaver cross hybrid chicken | 108 | 808 | 8/11/90 | 1 | 20.00 | Biman Poultry Complex, Shavar, Dhaka |
| 2.Faridpur, FTEC | 1090 | ISA Brown hybrid chicken | 57 | 523 | 4/6/91 | 130 | 100.00 | Silver carp Limited, Faridpur |
| 3.Natore, FSMF | 2500 | Phyomee chicken (Pakistani) | 100 | 400 | 5/4/91 | 100 | 50.00 | Govt. poultry Farm Pabna |
| 4. Karba1a, FSMF | 4000 | White leghorn chicken, and Khaki-campbell × local variety duck | 109 | 272 | 24/10/90 | 100 | 50.00 | Govt. poultry farm, Pabna and central duck breeding farm, Narayangonj |
| 144 | 375 | 30/10/90 | 84 | 25.00 | ||||
The day-old chicks were kept in a separate brooding confinement and were incubated with electric bulbs (one 100 watt bulb/100 chicks) for 2–3 weeks. The chicks were then shifted to poultry houses on the pond. For other ponds, adult birds were purchased from different sources and placed directly in the houses on ponds.
Poultry house:
Chicken and duck houses were made up of locally available cheap materials. Two types of houses were made (a) floor, wall and the roof made up of bamboo material at Faridpur FTEC and Karbala FSMF, (b) bamboo wall and floor with tin roof at Tongi and Natore FSFM. Chicken houses were built above the pond water in all the 4 places-At Karbala, the duck house was built on the dyke instead of above the pond water but a feeding platform for duck was made above the pond water. Usually the ducks were found to gather on the platform most of the time for food and rest. The size of the house was determined at 2–3 sq. ft. for a chicken and 3 sq.ft. for a duck.
Poultry feed:
The chicken and ducks were fed with recommended feed twice a day, in the morning between 8–9 am and in the afternoon between 4–5 pm. (Table-VI). The feed was given in suitable poultry feeders. Clean water was always kept in the house in self-drinker. Feed ingredients were purchased from markets and then properly mixed at the farm.
TABLE VI: COMPOSITION OF CHICKEN AND DUCK FEED.
| Feed Ingredients. | Chicken | Duck layer (%) | ||
| Starter 0–6 weeks (%) | Grower 7–18 weeks (%) | Layer 19–74 weeks (%) | ||
| Broken wheat | 50.25 | 52.25 | 43.75 | 40.0 |
| Rice polish | 22.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 |
| Wheat bran | - | - | - | 5.0 |
| Till oil cake | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Fish meal | 17.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 |
| Oyster shell | - | 1.0 | 7.5 | 7.25 |
| Salt | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Embavit ( vit. + min.premix) | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 |
Confinement:
Chicken were always kept confined in the house except for an hour in the afternoon where they were allowed to go out on the dykes for eating grasses almost everyday. Ducks were allowed to forage in the pond during day time. The pond was fenced by bamboo slats across the pond dykes so that the ducks could not go out to neighboring ponds or fields.
Egg collection:
In the chicken houses, wooden egg laying boxes (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm) were placed for lying eggs. Ducks laid eggs on the floor. Chicken eggs were collected twice a day in the morning and afternoon. Duck eggs were collected once - in the morning.
Disease prevention:
Both ducks and chicken were vaccinated in proper dosage as per the recommendation and dewormed when needed.
