INTEGRATED FISH-LIVESTOCK FARMING SYSTEM

Dr. C. V. Singh,
Prof. & Head
DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS & ANIMAL BREEDING
&
Joint Director, Instructional Dairy Farm

COLLEGE OF VETERINARY & ANIMAL SCIENCES

G.B. PANT UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE & TECH.,
PANTNAGAR – 263 145, U.S. NAGAR (UA)
 The present economic pressure for maximizing food production and
minimizing production cost with a general concern for energy
conservation has led to an approach of integrating fish farming with
animal husbandry.

 The integration of fish culture with livestock, holds a considerable

potential for augmenting production of animal protein, generation of
employment opportunities in the rural areas and improvement of
socio-economic condition of the farmers.

 Integrated farming activity has opened new horizons of increasing

production per unit area at low inputs through an increased interest
in utilization of animal manures as a substitute of high cost of major
inputs (fish feed and inorganic fertilizer) involved in aquaculture.

 It is a multi commodity farming system with the waste recycling as

the key feature and fish culture as the major activity.
Livestock cum Fish culture:
 The use of animal waste to fertilize fish ponds leads to greater fish
yield, as the manure provides active nutrients (NPK) for the
metabolic cycle in the ponds and promotes the growth of plankton
which is natural food for fish.

 The use of animal waste to fertilize fish ponds leads to

greater fish yield, as the manure provides active nutrients
(NPK) for the metabolic cycle in the ponds and promotes the
growth of plankton which is natural food for fish.
Status of livestock in India:

India has some of the best breeds of dairy, draught and dual purpose cattle.
In spite of a large number of breeds, more than 80% of cattle belong to
nondescript type.

Indian breeds of cattle are better adapted to with stand tropical diseases and
are more efficient converters of low quality feeds and fodders.

At present cattle population of India is about 185.181 million (livestock

censees 2003) of which 160.495 (86.679%) million of them are indigenous and
24.686 (13.33%) million are crossbreds.

In 2003 cattle contributed 34973000 tonnes of milk, 15615000 tonnes (44.64%)
from crossbred and 19358000 tonnes (55.35%) from indigenous cattle.
Breeds of cattle:
There are currently 26 recognized breeds of cattle which have been classified as
follows.
A. Milch breeds (5):
Gir, Sahiwal , Red Sindhi, Rathi and Tharparkar
B. Dual purpose breeds (7):
Nimari, Dangi, Hariana, Ongole, Kankrej and Mewati. (Kosi)
C. Darught Breeds (14):
Nagori, Bachaur, Kankatha, Malvi, Kherigarh, Hallikar, Amritmahal,
Khillari, Bargur, Kangayam, Panwar, Siri, Gaolao and Krishnavally.
In addition to above defined breeds some other cattle breeds/strains have been
reported by the different state government. These are-
Punganur, Red Kandhari, Vechur, Bhagnari, Denani, Lohani, Rajhan,
Bengal, Chittgong Red, Nepalese Hill, Kachocha, Siri, Tarai, Lulu, Sinhala,
Umblacherry, Ganga Teri etc.
A number of new breeds have been evolved from crossbred base
involving different exotic and native cattle breeds. These are Sunandani in
Kerala, Karan Swiss and Karanfries at NDRI Karnal, Frieswal in military
dairy farms spread all over India.
Miltch Breeds

Gir

Sahiwal Contd..
Red Sindhi

Tharparkar Contd..
Rathi
Dual purpose Breeds

Nimari

Dangi Contd..
Hariana

Mewati
Contd..
Ongole

Kankrej
Contd..
Draught Breeds

Nagori

Bachaur
Contd..
Kankatha

Malvi
Contd..
 Kherigarh

Amritmahal
Contd..
Khillari

Bargur
Contd..
Kangayam

Gaolao
Contd..
 Panwar

Krishnavally
Some other Cattle Breeds

Punganur

Red Kandhari Contd..

Vechur

Siri Contd..
Deoni
Guidelines for selection of a diary cow:
 Selection should be done based upon breed characteristics, fertility and milk
producing ability.

 History sheet or pedigree sheet which are generally maintained in organized

forms reveals the complete history of animal.

 So, whenever an animal is purchased form a cattle fair, it should be selected

based upon its breed characters and milk producing ability.

 The maximum yield by dairy cows are noticed during the first five lactations. So
generally selection should be carried out during I or II lactation and that too are
month after calving.

 There successive complete milkings has to be done and an average of it will give
a fair idea regarding production by a particular animal.

 A cow should allow anybody to milk, and should be docile it is better to

purchase the animals during the months of October and November. Maximum
yield is noticed till 90 days after calving.
Breed characteristics of high yielding dairy cows :

 Attractive individuality with feminity, vigour, harmonious blending

of all parts, impressive style and carriage.

 Animal should have wedge shaped appearance of the body

 It should have bright eyes with lean neck

 The udder should be well attached to the abdomen

 The skin of the udder should have a good network of blood vessels

 All four quarters of the udder should be well demarcated with well
placed teats.
Selection of she – buffaloes for milk production:
When you purchase buffaloes for milk production we have
to select healthy animal known for economic milk production. We
have to take following steps in selecting a dairy animal.
 Body confirmation
 Body weight
 Ancestors performance
 Reproduction capacity
 Health condition
 Age
 No. of lactations
 Past performance of the animal
 Free of chronic disease
 Cleanliness of teeth, legs and toes free of injuries

 Good eye site

 Whether animal is dry or lactating

 Date of delivery

 Month of pregnancy

 If non-pregnant, how many times it came into heat

 Animal should follow owners instructions

 The udder should be in good shape and easy to milk

The animal should not have the following:
Poor growth

Late maturity

Not coming into heat

Repeat breeder

Long gap between two lactations

Uncurable chronic diseases

Retained placenta

Low milk production

Unable to give milk without calf

Housing of Dairy Cattle:
 The basic justification for animal shelter is that it should alter or
modify the environment for the benefit of animals enclosed in it.

 The animal shelter should normally buffer the extremes of climatic

conditions to reduce peak “stress” on the animals housed.

Design considerations for animal houses:

 Animal houses should be located in an elevated area with good
drainage facility.

 Direct sunlight shouldn’t fall into the shed.

 Sufficient green cover should be there around the sheds.

 Sufficient open area should present around the animal shed for free
movement of animals.
Construction of an ideal cattle shed:

 Each animal should be provided 1 – 1.2 mt. width and 1.5 – 1.7 mt.
length as standing space.

 Sufficient space should be provided for each animal in the shed or

else it may lead to fighting among them. For e.g. For 5 cows the
length and width of the shed should be 6 mt and 2.5 mt
respectively.

 It should have an open area of about 8 mt length and 6 mt width.

Fencing or compound wall can be constructed around the shed.
Floor:
It should be impervious, non-slippery free from holes and crevices. It must
have proper slope.

The material of the floor should preferably of cement concrete.

Roof:
 The roof should be small and simple.

 The roofing materials should preferably be asbestos sheet or galvanized

iron sheets.

 The roof should be 8’ high at sides and 15’ high at center. The height at
eares is 3’.

 If iron sheets are used as roofing materials them cover it with grass during
summer season.
Manger:
 A continuous manger is constructed so that it can accommodate all the
animals.

 The height, depth and width of the manger should be 60, 50 and 40 cm
respectively for each animal.

 It can be constructed by using cement and brick or by cement concrete.

Gutter:
 The width and depth of the gutter should be 30 cm and 7.5 cm respectively.

 Generally the drainage should directly be connected to the fodder plots or

under integrated system to the fish ponds.
Cattle – fish farming:

 Fish farming can become more production oriented if integrated with cattle
farming. Cattle are allowed to graze on pond banks and grassy areas in the
vicinity and manure is either collected or washed directly from the cattle
sheds into the ponds.

 It has been proved that in the composite fish culture when the ponds are
manured with cow dung @ 15,000 kg/ha/year, an excellent yield of 5,000kg
fish/ha/year can be obtained.

 Fertilization of nurseries and rearing ponds with cow dung is a widespread

practice in India. However, there is a strong need to standardize the
number of animals required to provide manure per unit area of fish ponds.

 It has been estimated that fresh cow dung manure voided by two cows is
sufficient of fertilize one hectare of pond area.
Potential linkages between livestock and fish production:

 The term nutrient mainly refers to elements such as nitrogen (N) and
phosphorous (P) which function as fertilizers to stimulate natural food webs
rather than conventional livestock nutrition usage such as ingredients.

 Solid slaughter house wastes fed to carnivorous fish fall into the latter
category.

 There are also implications for use of other resources such as capital,
labour, space and water.

 Direct use of livestock production wastes is the most widespread and

conventionally recognized type of integrated farming.

 Production wastes include manure urine and spilled feed and they may be
used as fresh inputs or be processed in some way before use.

Contd..
 Livestock processing can also provide a wide variety of wastes that vary
from dilute washing water to high value meat and blood meal that can be
used as high value fish feeds or feed ingredients.

 A variety of aquatic plants e.g. duck weeds and the aquatic fern Azolla
have proven potential as livestock feeds.

 Other more minor beneficial linkages between fish and livestock

production include use of fish culture water for drinking /bathing
livestock and cooling livestock housing.

 Nutrients contained in culture water and sediments may be used to

produce arable crops for livestock.

 The viability of these options depends on a variety of factors including the

types of livestock and fish that can be raised profitably and the
production systems used.
Relevance of fish and livestock farming:

On a global basis most cultured fresh water fish are produced in Asia
in semi-intensive systems that depend on fertilizer nutrients.

For multi purpose use of water resources community water bodies

used for watering livestock are increasingly stocked with fish seed
and their management intensified.

Several studies indicate that livestock wastes are most commonly

used input, livestock wastes purposely used in ponds or draining into
them, support the production of most cultured fish in India.
Main and secondary linkages in livestock-fish integration
(P = processing)
 Trends in those parts of Asia which are undergoing rapid industrialization
and urbanization suggest that livestock fish systems can retain a relative
advantage over intensive aquaculture for production of low cost carps and
tilapias.

 A strong link to the use of livestock wastes remains even when high quality
supplementary feeds are available and widely used.

Sustainability of fish and livestock system:

Important questions relate to the role of integration of aquaculture
with live stock to improve sustainability of food production in socially and
economically advantageous ways while safeguarding or improving the
environment.
How livestock and fish improve the sustainability of farming systems
System attribute Livestock Fish Notes
Nutrient Feeding crop byproducts such Nutrients from other Use of livestock wastes in
recycling as ricebran and terrestrial sub-systems in the farm fishponds may be the most
and aquatic plants to livestock are retained in fishpond practical way to reduce
increases recycling of sediments and water and nutrient losses, especially N
nutrients within the farm. Pigs can be used for crop
are used particularly for this production
purpose in parts of China and
SE Asia
Nutrient Feeding off- and on-farm Natural and stocked fish Overgrazing of common land
concentration feeds can allow concentration can harvest nutrients by ruminants may lead to
of nutrients, and act as a from common property deterioration, increased
pathway for nutrients to be for direct human food or erosion and declining
cost -effectively gathered or use in livestock diets sustainability of the
harvested from common surrounding watershed or
property. Ruminants are ecosystem
important for this aspect of
enhanced sustainability
Diversity Most small-holder farms Efficiency of polycultures Increasing diversity of
manage a range of livestock within aquatic systems in livestock and fish may
that utilize the variety of feed exploiting the range of complement or compete within
resources available. aquatic niches. Control the farming system. Whereas
Important advantages include of livestock and human increased amounts of
pest control, recycling, pests with an aquatic monogastric waste are valuable
manageability, economic phase within the life for planktivorous fish, grass
reasons (risk aversion and cycle carp and ruminants may
cash flow) compete for limited amounts of
grass Contd..
Stability Livestock are a stabilizing
(resistance to influence, reducing
change) perturbation on households
during time of physical or
social stress. Their variety of
uses (draught, fertilizer,
social value, fuel, cash, food)
allows smallholders to better
maintain productivity when
faced with change
Capacity Livestock waste improves
soil quality and fertility;
grazing can improve species
richness and reduce soil
erosion
Economic Livestock products are often
efficiency the major source of cash in
smallholder systems. Having
a variety of livestock types
improves versatility with
respect to investment, cash
flow and risk aversion
Evolvability Dominance of commercial
livestock systems threatens
the scope for small-holder
production to change in
response to demand
Maintenance of a water body necessary to Livestock can be a
raise fish improves the stability of water contributing factor to
availability for the whole farming system destabilization, especially
through deforestation,
overstocking and soil
erosion
Increased water and nutrient holding Fertile ponds may not
improves productive capacity around the contaminate
pond. Sealing of pond traps nutrients and groundwater
prevents loss to ground water significantly but more
research is needed
Small individual size of fish often improves Returns to labour are
local marketability. Polyculture and often attractive for
perennial water increases opportunities for livestock and fish
strategic marketing production, and
integration is
particularly favourable.
Integration reduces
market risk and
improves flexibility
Aquaculture systems are generally recent Concept coined by Pullin
and are evolving rapidly around resources (1993) to describe the
and markets. The dominance of small-holder scope for future change
compared to commercial production, and of any system
importance of aquaculture and fisheries as
suppliers of fish, are major issues with policy
implications