animal production - CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University ...

Fish meal 15 1.5 kg
Wheat bran 50 5,0 kg
Groundnut cake 30 3.0 kg
DCP 5 0.5 kg
Supplevit-M 0.5 0.05 kg
Supplementary feeding @ 1-2% is necessary for better yiel per unit area since the natural productivity of water in
this zone is very less. The comparative performance of different species under two regimes (with supplementary feeding and
without supplementary feeding) are given below :
Name of Growth performance Growth performance of
species of three species three species without
with supplementary supplementary feed (2)
feed at 2% level (g)
Initial Wt. after Gain in Initial Wt. after Gain in
Wt 8 months wt. wt. 8 months wt.
Gross % Gross %
Silver carp 312 16,000 15654 5424 308 12117 11809 5830
Grass carp 927 57,482 56555 6100 1,015 26182 25167 2479
Common carp 6173 39,430 33257 538 1,800 8061 6261 381
Monitoring of growth:
Besides nutrients, the abiotic factors like temperature, salinity and photoperiod influence the growth of the fish.
After 2 months of stocking, the 20% of the stock should be harvested so as to evaluate the growth per month as well as to
calculate the correct amount of feed to be supplied daily. Later on, this practice is to be repeated every month till the fish
stops artificial feeding. Based on research data generated at Fish Farm HPKV, Palampur, it is seen that the fishes attain
their growth during 8 productive months (i.e. middle of March to middle of November) under the existing climatic conditions.
During four winter months (i.e. middle of November to middle of March), there is no growth. As such the supplementary
feed is to be given during the eight productive months. The results in terms of production efficiency of aforesaid model is
computed as high as 4 tonnes per ha per year.
Harvesting
Harvesting is conveniently done either by drag netting or by cast netting (useful for small ponds) or by draining the
pond. Suplementary feeding is stopped a day before the date of harvesting. Harvesting is done during cool morning hours
as per the demand of market. For this region, the best time of harvesting is December and January whch are non-productive
months for fish farming. The preferable time of stocking is mid of March or first week of April. In this way the four nonproductive
winter months can be utilised for the renovation, desilting and preparation of ponds.
Calender for fish farming
January:
(i) Construction of tanks.
(ii) Renovation of tank which includes desilting and repairing of old tanks.
February: Preparation of tank.
(i) Liming: General rate 250 kg/ha or 25 g/sq m of water area.
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