Production strategy

1. Purchase the required fry once every year of operation, especially during the peak season in  May.
2. Start  production in the nursery pond, then the transition pond, formation pond, and finally the rearing pond.
3. Divide the grow-out process into two phases: formation and rearing phases.
4. Allow the fingerlings to grow from a 20g fingerling size to a 50g post-fingerling size in the formation pond using natural food organisms as primary food for the stock.
5. Transfer the post-fingerlings to the rearing pond. Milkfish will grow to the marketable size of 250g in three months at an average growth rate of 2.2g/day . Expect the milkfish to grow bigger during the dry season at an average growth rate of 3g/day.
6. Provide supplementary feeds to sustain fish growth particularly during the wet season when lab-lab and other natural foods in the pond are depleted. A weekly feed conditioning is necessary to determine the attractability of the feed.
7. Efficient feeds should be used. Unattractive feeds results in poor health of the milkfish.
8. Eradicate snail pest called suso and bangungon. These pests destroy lab-lab mat and compete with bangus for lab-lab. Use alternative molluscicide, like tobacco dust, applied at 300-400 kg/ha. Or collect the snails by sweeping or handpicking and burn them with rice straw. (more…)

Pond preparation and food requirements

1. Carry out thorough pond preparation such as crack drying, liming and tilling once a year.
2. Prepare the ponds grown with lab-lab before fish stocking.
3. Apply organic and inorganic fertilizer to stimulate growth of natural food organisms.
4. Extend pond preparation and food growing in grow-out ponds to 45 days to allow more time for the abundant growth of lab-lab.

 Schedule pond preparation and food growing

For other agricultural topic visit www.pinoyagribusiness.com
Source: Semi-intensive culture of Milkfish, DA brochure

Milkfish (bangus) production

Over the years, there has been a big steady demand for milkfish or bangus in the country. It has been also doing well in the international market with Philippine export of frozen or chilled bangus.

The following gives a good overview of how to manage your  own fishponds using a site already developed.

 Site Selection

Select existing brackish water fish farms that are fully developed and operational. Former prawn farms can be used for milkfish farming.

The site should have:

- high tidal range and can hold water at least one meter deep

- good water quality and more or less have constant salinity and temperature throughout the year.

- longer dry season, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam

- access to roads and power supply.

 Pond layout and design

1. Improve or modify existing structures to suit the management requirements of the proposed production scheme.
2. Concentrate on the repair and strengthening of dikes, cut-and fill leveling of pond bottom, and construction of diagonal canal, drain canal and drain culvert gate to improve pond structures.
3. Modify pond structures to improve water management and stock manipulation systems as well as to meet desired management schedules and production targets. The pond canbe of any size ( the bigger, the better) for optimum production using the modular method.
4. Divide pond into four compartments: nursery pond, transition pond, formation pond, and rearing pond.
5. Provide a separate culvert-type drain gate and canal system opposite the inlet gate and canal system for rearing ponds to effect efficient water exchange and circulation.
6. Construct an inside-pond diagonal canal to facilitate draining and harvesting of stock

For other agricultural topic visit www.pinoyagribusiness.com
Source: Semi-intensive culture of Milkfish, DA brochure