Effect of integrated fish-duck farming on growth performance and economic efficiency of Indian major carps

J Yaswanth Kumar*, M S Chari and H K Vardia

Department of Fisheries, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh-492006, India
* Fisheries Research Station, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University,
Palair, Khammam (dist), Andhra Pradesh-507157, India
yaswanth001@gmail.com

Abstract

This experiment was intended to evaluate the effect of stocking of ducks on pond productivity and economic efficiency of  Indian major Carps. This trial was conducted for 257 days started on September 2006 to May 2007 and evaluated the effect of stocking of ducks along with a control (without ducks) on pond productivity and economic efficiency of Indian major carps in ponds. The study was carried out in two ponds measuring 2.2 ha and 2.4 ha water area designated as INT (integrated pond) and CTL (control pond) respectively. The Indian runner ducks (Anas platyrhions) were used for the integrated system. Each pond was stocked with Indian major carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala in a ratio of 3:3:4) were stocked at 6000 ha^-1.

The water quality parameters i.e. pH, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity and nutrient levels of water were higher in integrated pond than control pond (without ducks). Further plankton levels (Phyto and zooplankton) were also significantly higher in integrated pond. Indian major carps in the integrated ponds exhibited better body weight than the control pond. Better growth rate in fishes was contributed to a yield of 2029kg/ha of fish by stocking of ducks in INT  pond than the yield 1286 kg/ha observed in the CTL pond.

Keywords: Chhattisgarh, economic analysis, growth of fish and integrated duck-fish

Introduction

Sustainable aquaculture depends upon eco-friendly and economically and socially viable culture systems. The recycling of organic wastes for fish culture serves as the dual purpose of cleaning the environment (by avoiding the problem of waste disposal) and providing economic benefits. Semi intensive culture systems are usually based on ponds fertilized with livestock manure and fed with low cost supplementary feeds. This types of integration can increase overall production intensity and economics on land, labor and water requirements for both poultry and fish. For example, one hectare of static water fish ponds can process the wastes up to 1500 birds, producing fish in quantities of up to 10,000 kg/hectare without other feeds and fertilizers. Also, since effluents are few, environmental impacts are minimal (Little and Satapornvanit 1996)

Fish cum duck integration is very common in countries like China, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Russia and to a very small extent in India (Ayyappan et al 1998). As small scale farmers comprise the bulk of the population in India, their socio-economic conditions encourage them for fish cum duck integration to raise farm productivity (Edwards et al 1988). From the viewpoint of input-output relationship fish-cum-duck integration is the best model of integrated fish, livestock and poultry. From a micro-economic standpoint, the economic efficiency of fish-cum-pig integration is not as good as fish cum duck and profit is also low. Fish-cum-chicken integration lacks any symbiotic relationship. Protein input and output in integrated fish-cum-duck and fish-cum-cow farming are similar. However, it is much easier to raise ducks than to raise cow and economic efficiency with income generation from fish-cum-duck farming, far exceeds that of fish-cum-cow farming. e.g. In China, a worker at the Helei fish farm produced 292 kg of protein from cows in 1981 while his counterpart produced 507 kg of protein from ducks (NACA 1989).  Therefore, the present study was conducted to work out the effect of duck rearing on pond productivity and cost and returns analysis in integrated fish farming.  

Materials and methods

The present investigation was carried out for a period of 9 months from September 2006 to May 2007. Water samples were collected from the various sites between 9 AM and 10 AM and brought to laboratory for physico-chemical and biological analysis. The study involved two ponds measuring 2.2 ha and 2.4 ha water area designated as INT and CTL respectively. Both ponds are seasonal and shrinking nature. INT was a treated pond where in ducks were allowed in to the pond for wild grazing during day time where as CTL is without ducks. The egg laying type variety Indian runner ducks were reared @ 300 ducks /2.2ha. No fertilizer or feeds were given as inputs in the ponds. Advanced fingerlings of Indian major carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala in a ratio of 3:3:4) were stocked at 6000/ha. Initially the ducklings were reared at the farmers residence till they attained three months age after which they were allowed to make entry in to the ponds for feeding. The Indian runner ducks were reared at farmers houses which were released in the morning (9.00 AM) towards the pond herded back in the evening (5.00 PM). All the family members of the villagers were involved in this experiment thus each family having 3 to 5 ducks to raise. The ducks were fed with fresh left over kitchen wastes and agricultural by-products as kanki (broken grains), kodha (rice bran) etc by the each family to raise and collect eggs.

Water quality parameters of the ponds were studied monthly for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, total alkalinity, total hardness, conductivity, biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia, nitrate nitrogen, total ortho phosphate, phytoplankton, zooplankton (APHA 1989). Plankton were collected by filtering the water through plankton net (mesh no.25, pore size 60µm) and counted under the microscope using sedgewick-rafter counting cell. The manure loading rate was determined randomly by collecting fecal samples 4 ducks under the same conditions of treatment of wet laboratory. The duck manure analyzed for phosphorous, potassium (Yoshida et al 1971) and nitrogen (AOAC 1975). Growth of fish was recorded on monthly basis from sample catches obtained by cast netting. Stastical analysis was carried out by using t-test at 5% level of significance. 

Results and discussion

The duck manure was analyzed and the chemical composition depicted in Table 1. 

Physico-chemical characteristics of water play an important role in regulating the various metabolic activities of fish. These parameters are essential for the better survival and growth of fish. The duck manure influence the quality of water to a large extent (Dhawan and Singh 2000). The analyzed values of physico chemical condition of water are presented in Tables 2 and 3. Water temperature fluctuated in the range of 31.1 to 41.0 °C, which was may be due to seasonal change. The pH of water varied from 6.7 to 7.6 with moderate fluctuations. The pH of the water in INT was distinctly alkaline. Chari (2003) has observed that the use of duck excreta  likely to be more beneficial in production system as it maintains an alkaline state. Golterman (1970) while analyzing natural waters was noticed relation between pH and percent of free CO₂, HCO₃ and CO₃ . It was reported that an increased pH means higher carbonate values. The present studies were found with higher pH values and decreased CO₂ values i.e. negative correlation was found between pH and CO₂.

The dissolved oxygen was relatively high in duck treated pond. It may be concluded that the movement of ducks in the pond helped in aerating the water. Dissolved oxygen is significantly correlated with zooplankton (r = 0.061) in INT. The free carbon dioxide (Free CO₂) of different experimental waters was found non significant between the two treatments. The negative correlation was observed between phytoplankton and Free CO₂. Chari (1983) also noticed non significant negative correlation between phytoplankton and free CO₂ and explained that free CO₂ may not be a controlling factor for phytoplankton production. Higher values of alkalinity were observed in INT pond than in CTL pond.  

The Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) level was in treated pond in the range of 6-8 mg/l. Maitra (1991) also recorded the 5.0-6.0 mg/l BOD content in fish cum duck integration. He further observed that the BOD amount was low in comparison to fish cum pig and fish cum poultry integration systems. In the present study it was also revealed that duck droppings did not resulted in to oxygen depletion stress as usually happens with the organic matter deposition in the pond. The plankton production was found to differ significantly between the two treatments. Phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass were high in INT with stocking of ducks, which might be due to high rate of manuring.  

Growth performance of fish

Growth performance of fish was studied at monthly intervals for 9 months in treatment pond and control pond as shown in Table 4.  

The average initial lengths and weights of fingerlings at the time of stocking were 8.0, 9.5, 10.4 cm and 8.5, 7.5, 7.0 g for Catla, Rohu and Mrigal in INT and CTL ponds respectively. The average final mean lengths of fingerlings were 29.0, 31.4 and 33.2 cm in INT followed by 25.8, 26.4 and 27.6 cm in CTL for Catla, Rohu and Mrigal respectively.

Chand et al (2006) observed that the stocking of fingerlings of Indian major carps in the treatments D0 (No ducks), D200 (200 ducks), D300 (300 ducks) and D400 (400 ducks) for 10 months culture period were 602, 763, 827 and 708 g (catla), 516, 688, 715 and 721 g (rohu),  475, 516, 623 and 636 g (mrigal) respectively.

Average daily gain (ADG) was found to be higher in INT than CTL for catla, rohu and mrigal respectively. Chand et al (2006) also reported average daily gain  in D₄₀₀ (400 ducks) at 2.67, 2.35g, 2.08g/day, D₃₀₀ (300 ducks) at 2.70g, 2.33g and 2.04g/day, D₂₀₀(200 ducks) at 2.49g, 2.24g and 1.68g/day  and D₀ (control) 1.95 g, 1.67 g, 1.54 g/day for catla, rohu and mrigal respectively.

The results of the analysis of variance showed significant effect of ducks on final weight of all three fish species.  

Growth performance of ducks 

The scavenging mode of duck rearing was adopted with very little feeding. Major feed of the ducks was from the pond benthos consisting of insects, leeches, snails and other bottom detritus plant and animal material. Farmers fed the ducks with very little broken grains (rice), rice bran and fresh kitchen wastes @ 60-75 gm/duck/day. The ducks were attuned to go to the village pond in the morning (9.00 am) and come back to their habitat (farmers house) in the evening (5.00 pm).  Farmers could not afford to have duck house and conduct stall feeding. Therefore, partial feeding was adopted at the out-farm trials. Growth performance was studied on a fortnightly basis measuring weight gains of ducks reared for 9 months in INT. The average initial mean weight of duck was 820g. The maximum mean weight of ducks increased to 1,304g. At the end of experimentation the final mean weight of duck was 970g. In the experimental period from March to May the weight gain of ducks dropped in the subsequent months due to increase in temperature. The survival of ducks depends on the availability of food organisms in pond and environmental conditions. The duck survival rate was observed to be 81%. Due to predator problems like dogs, cats, other reasons which contribute to mortality also high temperature prevailed during the culture period.

Cost and return analysis

The integrated fish cum duck farming improved the economic returns of the fish ponds via additional income from the integration components i.e. enhanced fish production, duck eggs and duck meat. The cost of fish production per kg was found to be Rs. 7.29 and Rs. 4.82 for CTL and INT respectively. The benefit: cost ratio in case of integration of duck with fish was found to be 3.49: 1 which was much more profitable to farmers than in case of fish culture without ducks, found to be at 2.74: 1 under village conditions of Chhattisgarh (Table 5).  

Conclusions

• This study proved the role of ducks in improving the nutrient levels in fish pond ecosystem and showed that duck excreta is a good source of nutrients in water and so contribute to plankton production.

  
  

• The physico chemical parameters of water and soil were better in duck treated pond than without ducks.

  
  

• The plankton production was more in fish duck integrated system than in control.

  
  

• All the above have contributed in maximizing survival and yield of fish over control pond.

  
  

• It may be concluded that integration of duck with fish was more profitable to farmers than general fish farming.

References

AOAC 1975 Official methods of analysis (Editor W Horwitz) 12^th edition, Association of official and analytical chemists, Washington, D.C., 417 pp.

APHA 1989 Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water 17^th Ed., American water works association, American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C.1193 pp.

Ayyappan S, Kumar K and Jena J K 1998 Integrated fish farming practices and potentials. Fishing chimes 18 (1):15-18 pp.

Chand B K, Goswami A, Biswas P K, Biswas P and Patra B C 2006 Effects of stocking levels of ducks on production of Indian Major Carps in village ponds under duck-fish integrated system in West Bengal state of India. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 18, Article #6. Retrieved October 12, 2010, from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd18/1/chan18006.htm  

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Little D and Satapornvanit K 1996 Poultry and fish production – A frame work for their integration in Asia. Second FAO electronic conference on tropical feeds livestock feed resources within integrated farming systems. www.aquafind.com/articles/poul.php

Maitra D N 1991 Prospect and retrospect of integrated livestock –fish aquaculture in India under Asian context proceedings of the FAO/IPT Workshop on Integrated Livestock-fish production Systems, 16-20 December 1991, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

NACA 1989 Integrated Fish Farming in China. NACA Technical Manual 7. A World Food Day Publication of the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. 278 pp.

Yoshida S, Douglas A F and James H C 1971 Laboratory manual for physiological studies of rice. The International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Philippinies, 61 pp.

Received 4 July 2012; Accepted 15 November 2012; Published 2 December 2012

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