06
MAY
2014

Loading of integrated fishponds with organic matter under different approaches of mule ducks (Anas platyrhynchos x Cairina moschata) feeding

The effect of the feeding regime of mule ducks on loading of fishponds with organic matter in integrated fish-cum-duck technology was studied at theInstitute of Fisheries and Aquaculture – Plovdiv. The stocking density of the ducklings was 340 pcs.ha-1. The coefficient of loading (Ì) was used for establishing the pond loading: where N is the mean number of ducks in the rotation; t – rotation length in days; W – average live weight of theducks for the growing period, kg; 96 g – the amount of the manure released for a day by one duck per kg of live weight ; P – pond surface area,ha; r – relative stay of the ducks in water out of the active time of days.Two regimes of feeding the mule ducks were studied. It was establishedthat when fed on a balanced mixture, the mule ducks spent the bigger part of the day on land, as a result of which during the period of the study(40 days) the manure inserted in the pond amounted to 74.7 kg.ha-1. Substituting 50 % of the mixture with wheat, maize or sunflower groats(preserving the energy and protein levels), led to prolonging the average length of stay of the mule ducks in the pond almost 8 times. Due to themore significant differences in the time spent in the pond during the last ten-day periods, the manure released into water increased by morethan 10 times, although the live weight in all the periods was lower compared to the first variant.

Loading of integrated fishponds with organic matter under different approaches of mule ducks (Anas platyrhynchos x Cairina moschata) feeding

L. Nikolova