Integrated fish farming is a system of producing fish alongside other agricultural/livestock farming or crops.these type of farming has so many disadvantages. These type of farming offers great efficiency in resource utilization as waste product from one system is effectively recycled’,that is,the faeces of the livestock(chicken)can serve as feed to the fishes.
This system can minimize income that is,the poultry house can be built above the pond why the pond will be beneath by so doing the faeces of the chicken falls directly into the fish pond and these will serve as feed to the fishes.but one disadvantage of these is that when the faeces falls directly into the pond there will be no control,these can make the fishes to be over fed when these fishes are over fed they pollute the water so fast with their faeces. these can lead to water pollution which is dangerous for the fishes so monitoring is important.
- it enables effective utilization of available farming space for maximizing production.
- fish culture in combination with agriculture or livestock is a unique venture and provides a higher farm income,makesavailable a cheap sour ce of protein for the rural population
- it increases productivity on small land-holdinds and increases the supply of feeds for the farm livestock.
- it provides employement
- it reduces the cost of fertilizers because the pheases of the poultry can be used to fertilize the pond and vise vassal profit is increased.
Disadvantage of these system
- it is time consuming
- possible water pollution
- Residues and antimicrobials resistance can enter the fish ponds through animal manure one should be very careful.
To avoid these disadvantages monitoring is important
Integrated farming calls for skill in different types of activity such as:
- Raising pigs alongside with fish
- Crop and vegetable farming with fish
- Poultry and fish
Growing grass and aquatic plantic plant and also farming of fish . if integrated fish farming has to done in a large scale obviously it requires large amount of people to work therefore provides employment opportunity.
Some of the crops that are usually farmed alongside with fish and livestock
Rice-cum-fish:these is done in so many states in Nigeria e.gniger state,ebonyi state,etcthese is carried out by stocking rice fields with fingerlings in other to obtain a fish crop in addition to rice,the main crop little extra labour is required as it can be attended to the same period of time also utilization of land since it provides both rice and fish.money for removal of weeds is saved.some fish feeds on weeds rice yields is increased because of viewer insect and also better distribution of nutrient.
Incresed organic fertilization and also improved soil aeration.A major benefit of rice-cum-fish farming is that the input to the various subsystems which comprise the farming system tend to come from within the farm additionally the two crops cultivated on the same field increase the farmers income,ensuring a higher return.
Advantages of these system rice-cum-fish
- improved useland
- higher income
- increase rice production
- spreading of biological as well as economical risk
- fish production
Other animals raised alongside with fish:
- Duck-cum-fish
- Sheep/goat-cum-fish
- Cattle-cum-fish
- Rabbit-cum-fish.
- Buffalo-cum-fish