Abstract:
The experiment involved ten ponds each of 0.1 ha, located at Birbhum district of West Bengal .The ponds were stocked with fingerlings of Indian Major Carps (Catlacatla, Labeorohita, Cirrhinamigala, Hypophthalnicthys molitrix, Etenopharyngodonidella, Cyprinuscarpio) at the ratio of 3:4:3. The ponds were integrated with 300 nos. of Khaki Campbell ducks (Anasplatyrhynchos) to evaluate the effect of duck manuring on pond productivity and fish growth. No supplementary feed for fishes and no fertilizer except the initial fertilization were applied to the ponds. The data were collected in regular interval on various monitoring indicators, such as –pH, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, hardness, growth rate of fish and duck, egg, meat, fish production, overall return in terms of benefit cost ratio. Dissolved oxygen, pH, total alkalinity, hardness were analyzed both in pretreated pond and post treated pond respectively. The result revealed that the average body weight of Khaki Campbell ducks at 40 weeks of age was 2014.36±8.39 for male and 1823.36±6.73 for female respectively. The average egg production at 40 weeks of age was 103.48 ±0.77. In the present study, growth of Catla (Catlacatla) was recorded maximum (1.82kg) in one year followed by Silver Carp (Hypophthalnicthys molitrix) attaining the weight of 1.41 kg. However, the growth of Rohu (Labeorohita) and Mrigal(Cirrhinamigala)was recorded as 741 gm and 875 gm each after 12 months of rearing. All the studied physic-chemical parameters were observed within pemissible ranges with satisfactory fish growth. The cost and returns of fish-cum-duck farming is more profitable than fish farming alone.
