Research Article
Kaur S, Masud S and Khan A
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chicken manure and inorganic fertilizer (single super phosphate and urea) on water quality (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, alkalinity, total solids, nitrate and phosphate) and proximate composition (moisture, ash, crude protein, total fat and carbohydrates) of Cyprinus carpio. 210 fingerlings of C. carpio obtained from Government fish hatchery, Jammu were acclimatized for one month with conventional feed and daily water exchange. The experimental tubs were cleaned, fresh soil was spread to 5 cm height and treated with lime @ 250 kg/ha. After three days of liming, tubs were filled with water at 40cm depth. Experimental water in tubs were treated in duplicates with low (PT1) @8000 kg/ ha, medium (PT2) @10,000 kg/ha and high (PT3) @12,000 kg/ha doses of chicken manure and also with low, medium and high dose of inorganic fertilizer(urea + SSP) @104 kg/ha + 155 kg/ha (IT1), @218 kg/ha + 310 kg/ha (IT2) and 322 kg/ha +470 kg/ha (IT3) respectively, along with control. Water quality parameters were within the tolerable range for C. carpio. Level of crude protein and total fat were highest in PT2. Moisture and carbohydrate showed insignificant changes while ash content changed significantly in all the treatments and control. These observations indicate that chicken manure alone was effective to stimulate productivity with conducive range of water quality and growth of fish without affecting proximate composition of fish meat.