The Mini Fish Farm™ can grow fresh, unpolluted fish throughout the year. Fish are one of the best sources of protein in the animal kingdom, low in both calories and saturated fats. Aquaculture is a fascinating hobby and the Mini Fish Farm™ will provide enjoyment for many years. Manual on Household Based Pond Aquaculture, Homestead Gardening and Nutrition Awareness. Initiated introduction improved practices and technologies in rural farming to address malnu-trition in farming households. In order to address the problem discussed, as a.
The Ponds
Ponds are built over clay-rich soils, where they are filled with pure freshwater pumped from underground wells. The rectangular-shaped ponds, averaging 10 to 20 acres each, are built above ground by constructing levees. These embankments contain water that can reach 4 to 6 feet in depth.
Ponds are built over clay-rich soils, where they are filled with pure freshwater pumped from underground wells. The rectangular-shaped ponds, averaging 10 to 20 acres each, are built above ground by constructing levees. These embankments contain water that can reach 4 to 6 feet in depth.
- Commercial Catfish Production Catfish is the leading aquaculture industry in the United States. Commercial catfish production generates over 27 percent of the value of aquaculture production in the United States. From the first commercial production in ponds in the 1960s, catfish production has grown to reach annual sales of roughly 345 million pounds in 2019. Mississippi leads the U.S.
- The readers of this book will be able to contribute in enriching the quality farming with help of aquaculture techniques. It can also serve as a handy reference for fish-farmers themselves.
The Feed
Besides the improved quality of the living conditions, a big difference between a U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish and its wild cousin is what they eat. These delicacies are fed a gourmet diet of puffed, high-protein food pellets, made of a mixture of soybeans, corn, wheat, vitamins and minerals. Farm-raised catfish have learned to feed on pellets that float on top of the ponds, unlike its wild bottom-feeding cousin. This feed not only helps in producing a healthier fish, but also a cleaner, milder tasting one.
Besides the improved quality of the living conditions, a big difference between a U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish and its wild cousin is what they eat. These delicacies are fed a gourmet diet of puffed, high-protein food pellets, made of a mixture of soybeans, corn, wheat, vitamins and minerals. Farm-raised catfish have learned to feed on pellets that float on top of the ponds, unlike its wild bottom-feeding cousin. This feed not only helps in producing a healthier fish, but also a cleaner, milder tasting one.
Farming
Farming begins with the selection and mating of quality brood stock. A brood fish will lay from 3,000 to 4,000 eggs per pound of body weight over an average of 12 years. Fertilized eggs are collected and placed in controlled hatchery tanks. After seven days at a temperature of 78° F, the eggs hatch. The young, called “sac fry,” live off the food supplied by the yolk sacs.
Farming begins with the selection and mating of quality brood stock. A brood fish will lay from 3,000 to 4,000 eggs per pound of body weight over an average of 12 years. Fertilized eggs are collected and placed in controlled hatchery tanks. After seven days at a temperature of 78° F, the eggs hatch. The young, called “sac fry,” live off the food supplied by the yolk sacs.
When the yolk is used up, the fish begin to swim and are moved to a special pond where they grow into fingerlings. At 4 to 6 inches in length, they are transferred to catfish ponds in a ratio of approximately 4,500 per surface acre of water.
Harvesting
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish are harvested in seines (large weighted nets) at about 18 months old and averaging 1 to 1.5 pounds. They are loaded into baskets and then placed in aerated tank trucks for live shipment to processing plants.
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish are harvested in seines (large weighted nets) at about 18 months old and averaging 1 to 1.5 pounds. They are loaded into baskets and then placed in aerated tank trucks for live shipment to processing plants.
Processing
The catfish are kept alive up until the minute they are processed. The entire processing procedure in completed in less than 30 minutes. The fish are cleaned, processed, and placed on ice or frozen to temperatures of 40° F below zero. Frozen farm-raised catfish are individually quick-frozen (IQF), a method which preserves the taste and quality of the fish.
The catfish are kept alive up until the minute they are processed. The entire processing procedure in completed in less than 30 minutes. The fish are cleaned, processed, and placed on ice or frozen to temperatures of 40° F below zero. Frozen farm-raised catfish are individually quick-frozen (IQF), a method which preserves the taste and quality of the fish.
Catfish Farming Methods
The TCI-Certified Processing Plants have a combined processing capability of more than 10 million pounds of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish per week, every week of the year. This ensures a steady supply of catfish at an affordable price. These plants are continuously inspected and approved by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, making U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish the nation’s first and only seafood product to meet these strict standards and requirements for food safety and hazard controls.
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is available to the foodservice operator in many forms, both frozen and fresh. Catfish processors are working constantly on developing new foodservice products and improving existing product lines to fill the ever-evolving needs of operators. This fish is extremely versatile, mild flavored and practically indestructible in the kitchen. Overcooking catfish is difficult to do, which is why it fits so well into so many types of operations.
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U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is available in any of these general forms:
- Whole Dressed (fresh)
- Steaks (cross-section cuts from larger dressed fish, fresh or frozen)
- Fillets (boned sides of the fish, cut lengthwise away from the backbone, fresh or frozen)
- Regular and shank fillets (regular fillets have the belly section attached, shank fillets have the belly section removed, fresh or frozen)
- Nuggets (boneless pieces cut from the belly section of the fillet, fresh or frozen)
- Strips and fingers (smaller pieces of fish cut from fillets, fresh or frozen)
Catfish Farming In Tanks
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish may come in a variety of prepared forms including:
- Breaded
- Marinated
- Delacata® Style Catfish Fillets
The beauty of fish farming in Nigeria is that you do not have to nurture the fishes until adulthood before you can make some money from them; some individuals are out to buy the fingerlings from you, which mean you do not need to wait till the fishes become fully grown before you can start selling them.
Many Nigerians are looking for an extra business they can start aside from their paid jobs. Many have even tried several methods of making money without any headway. If you are one of such people, you can engage in fish farming. It has proved to be a money spinner over the years since fish is always in high demand.
Continue reading for a step-by-step guide on how to start fish farming in Nigeria.
Amount to invest in Fish Farming
You should not see fish farming in Nigeria as a get rich quick scheme; it is also not an entirely easy thing. You must see it as a real business and handle it as such before you can make any meaningful money out of it.
Before you start, first prepare a business plan. There is no lower or upper limit of how much to invest in fish farming. According to some specialists, it is better to start the business with a small amount of money.
This way, you can reduce the risk involved in the business. Marshall serial number. Starting with a small amount of money means you will not go into debt if things go wrong.
Building a fish pond
Since you are starting the fish farming in Nigeria with a small number of fishes, the size of the fish pond will not be big. You can build the fish pond in a waterlogged area where you can have easy access to water, or you can even use a water tank.
All you have to do is to cut the water tank in the middle to create a small round fish pond. It will work perfectly since you only plan to start small. You can increase the size of your fish pond as the number of fingerlings you want to rear increase.
All in all, make sure the fish pond is located in an airy environment. This way, the fishes will have access to a lot of oxygen. Consistent change of the water is equally significant.
Getting fingerlings for Fish Farming
The next thing to do after preparing a pond for fish farming in Nigeria is to buy fingerlings. You can get to buy fingerlings even on the internet. However, your best chance is to partner with an already established fish farmer, from whom you can get fingerlings.
Even if the fish farmer does not have fingerlings, he/she can direct you to where you can get to buy.
Since you are starting small, do not buy too many fingerlings. Do not forget that the fishes will take up much space as they grow, and overpopulation can prevent them from thriving. Never forget to feed the fishes frequently.
They grow faster and healthier if they get fed properly. There is a ready market for fishes once they are mature. The main challenge is in rearing them to maturity.
Catfish Farming In Nigeria Manual Pdf
https://youtu.be/F-goadCaPgo
In Conclusion
The beauty of fish farming in Nigeria is that you do not have to nurture the fishes until adulthood before you can make some money from them; some individuals are out to buy the fingerlings from you, which mean you do not need to wait till the fishes become fully grown before you can start selling them.