On-farm trials of an integrated fish-cum-poultry farming system using indigenous chickens

Abstract

The effect of replacing exotic broilers with indigenous chickens in vertically integrated homestead ®sh ponds as a means of improving the income status of the small-scale farmer was investigated. Ponds integrated at 1000 chickens ha ±1 provided the optimal water quality for ®sh survival and growth. Excreta load was 3600 kg ha ±1 month ±1 (dry matter); water pH 8.6; total alkalinity 65.0 mg L ±1 ; dissolved oxygen 8.0 mg L ±1 ; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) 2.0 mg L ±1 ; ammonia 0.02 mg L ±1 ; total phosphates 10.0 mg L ±1 ; primary produc tivity 86 mg C m ±2 h ±1 ); biomass chlorophyll a 9.8 mg cm ±3 ; and standing crop 2.85 Q 10 3 cells mL ±1 . Fish recovery, weight gain and total yield (18.25 tons ha ±1 ) for Heterobranchus longi®lis, Valenciennes 1840, and 14.90 tons ha ±1 for Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus 1758) exceeded the production (3.50 tons ha ±1 and 2.10 tons ha ±1 , respectively, for H. longi®lis and O. niloticus) from ponds integrated with broiler chicken at the current optimum stocking rate of 1500 chickens ha ±1 . Indigenous chickens offered higher resistance, accepted crop wastes and trash as food and generated an excreta load similar to that from more expensive broiler chickens. Economic analysis of the ventures revealed substantial net income at all levels of poultry integration with indigenous chickens as against a net de®cit of ±= N210 000 ($2470.6) incurred by the farmer using exotic broilers. From a cost±bene®t ratio of 1:2.6 in T 2 (1500 indigenous chickens ha ±1 ) and 1:0.6 in T 4 (1500 broilers ha ±1 ), a net income of = N1.60 ($0.019) accrued to the farmer from every = N1.0 ($0.01) invested in the integrated system using indigenous chickens as against a net de®cit of = N0.40 ($0.005) on invested capital using broiler chickens at the same 1500 chickens ha ±1 level of poultry integration.

Mathematical Equations for Reducing Water Pollution Problems among Poultry Production Clusters in Nong Khai Province, Thailand

“…The equations obtained from the above study are consistent with the study of Njoku and Ejiogu (1999), who conducted a study on raising chickens over fish ponds, finding that one hectare (6 rai and 400 square meters) was able to accommodate 1500 broilers. According to the equations obtained by the present study, if layer chickens are raised over a pond of one hectare in size, a total of 1907 chickens can be raised.…”

“…According to the equations obtained by the present study, if layer chickens are raised over a pond of one hectare in size, a total of 1907 chickens can be raised. It can be seen that the number of egg-laying chickens obtained by the calculation is higher than the number reported by Njoku and Ejiogu (1999). However, such report did not include a study of oxygen level in the water, which indicates water quality or the occurrence of pollution in the fish ponds.…”

Integration of fish culture and poultry rearing in transplanted rice for nutritional security in smallholder farms

“…Integration of fish in rice fields increased dietary standards in terms of animal protein requirement of the poor rural households 11 . The exotic broilers were replaced with indigenous chicks in vertically integrated homestead fish pond as a means of improving the income status of small scale farmers in Nigeria 12 . In the integrated fish-livestock farming, cheap fish feed and organic manures for fish pond recycled from livestock voidings reduced the cost of fish feed and chemical fertilizers.…”

Current options for improving leafspot disease resistance and yield of groundnut in an Ultisols

“…The exorbitant cost of the resulting feed makes animal production very expensive and reduces profitability (Njoku 1999). Groundnut (Arachis hypogae L) is an oil seed.…”