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Livestock and poultry manure use in aquaculture in the Philippines.

Technical Report · May 2008

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1829.6722

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The College of Veterinary Science and Medicine (CVSM) University of Oxford
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 Livestock and Poultry Manure Use in
Aquaculture in the Philippines
Summary
Aquaculture is a major source of animal protein and income for smallholders in the Phil-
ippines. Many fishpond owners in Central Luzon have obtained substantial financial bene-
fits by integrating livestock/poultry production with their fish farming activities. Animal
manure is extensively used as a cheaper alternative to artificial fertiliser to increase
phytoplankton production (natural fish food) in fish ponds. This policy brief summarises
the findings of a recent interdisciplinary study of integrated aquaculture and live-
stock/poultry production and highlights recommendations to: optimise production; miti-
gate adverse environmental impacts; and address health and safety issues relating to
fish farmers, fish handlers and consumers.
sense to add plant nutrients, either as ar-
Introduction tificial fertilizer, or animal manure, to in-
The integration of aquaculture with live- crease phytoplankton production, so that
stock and/or poultry production is an ex- there is more natural food for fish to eat.
ample of agricultural intensification that As waste products of livestock and poul-
recycles and conserves key plant nutri- try production, animal manure is a much
ents, especially nitrogen (N) and phos- cheaper and preferred source of plant nu-
phorous (P); maximizes farm productiv- trients than artificial fertilizer.
ity; and, in the Philippines, is most com-
monly practiced by smallholder farmers in Figure 2: Sacks of Chicken Manure Awaiting
rural, lowland areas of Central Luzon. Application to Fish Pond in San Luis.

Integrated fish/livestock/poultry produc-

tion in San Luis Municipality, adjacent to
the Candaba wetlands in Pampanga Prov-
ince (Figure 1.), has been the subject of a
recent interdisciplinary study by the Col-
lege of Fisheries, the College of Veteri-
nary Science and Medicine, and the Water
Resources Management Centre at Central
Luzon State University (Espino et al.
2008), commissioned by the Department
of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry’s
Environmental Animal Health Manage-
ment Initiative. Public health concerns relate to food safety
and the potential contamination of fish from
Figure 1: San Luis Municipality, Pampanga ponds fertilized with livestock or poultry
manure. Animal health and welfare con-
cerns relate to disease risks and animal
husbandry practices. Environmental con-
cerns relate to potential water pollution, re-
duced dissolved oxygen content, eutrophi-
cation and contamination of ground water.

This policy brief highlights some of the

key issues that need to be addressed and
identifies practical measures to do so.

This policy brief is based on the findings of

an interdisciplinary GIS-aided study of inte-
grated aquaculture and livestock production
Artificial feeds currently account for 60- conducted by Central Luzon State University
70 percent of fish production costs. Any commissioned by the Philippine Department
augmentation of natural fish food (plank- of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry
ton) production in fish ponds should re- Environmental Animal Health Management
duce these feed costs. Hence, it makes Initiative (GCP/PHI/050/ITA).

EAHMI Policy Brief 2 -1- May 2008

 ture may reduce this risk. Nevertheless,
Risks various insect-borne diseases, such as ma-
Integrated livestock-fish system generally laria, filaria and dengue, are occupational
has no special health risks significantly hazards of aquaculture.
greater than agriculture, but freshwater
ponds may assist the spread of waterborne Potential Influenza Pandemics
diseases. A major issue regarding the promotion of in-
tegrated livestock-fish production has been
The following infectious and non-infectious the possible connection between such prac-
hazards to human and animal health are as- tices and the emergence of influenza pan-
sociated with direct (active) and indirect demics. The role of aquaculture in the proc-
(passive) involvement with integrated live- ess of creating a suitable environment for
stock-fish production: influenza virus to “jump” from poultry to
pigs is disputed, but as a precautionary
Microbial Pathogens measure it is recommended that pigs and
Pathogens can affect human health through poultry are not reared in close proximity
both active and passive contact. It should be around the same pond.
assumed that all water used in aquaculture
is potentially contaminated with pathogens, Chemical Hazards
whether or not livestock wastes are used. Chemical hazards may arise from the use of
Similarly, all livestock faecal wastes must be agrochemicals, chemotherapeutics, metals,
assumed to contain pathogens. Thus, bacte- feed ingredients and organic pollutants. Ag-
rial contamination, especially by pathogenic rochemicals i.e. chemical fertilizers, water
species is a potential hazard in all forms of treatment compounds, pesticides and disin-
aquaculture. Contamination levels in farmed fectants are widely used in both commercial
fish depend on bacterial levels in the pond and smallholder food production. Chemot-
environment and the quality of input water. herapeutics include a range of compounds
Proximity to human settlements is also a used to control disease in both livestock and
risk factor for increased levels of contamina- fish i.e. antimicrobials, parasiticides and
tion by several pathogenic bacteria, as well hormones. The issue of bacterial resistance,
as faecal indicator organisms. induced through prophylactic use of antim-
icrobials and drug residues that risk human
Parasites health, is of particular concern.
A variety of parasites may be transferred
through livestock waste to fish and then Hazards to Consumers
back to humans. Fish ponds may harbour Food-borne diseases mostly come from con-
the intermediate hosts of parasitic worms, sumption of fish infected by pathogenic bac-
such as bilharzia, and provide breeding sites teria, viruses or parasites. However, these
for blood sucking mosquitoes and other bit- become significant only when raw, or inade-
ing flies. Fish farm workers who enter ponds quately cooked, fish is consumed. Trema-
may thus risk infection from bilharzia and tode parasites, which can cause illness rang-
other waterborne microbial diseases (viral, ing from debilitation to cancer or even
leptospiral, bacterial and fungal). death, are the most important. Infection
caused by such parasites is found in geo-
Insect-Vector Borne Diseases graphical areas where they are endemic in
Fish ponds become mosquito-breeding sites the natural fish population. Hepatitis and
only when they are poorly managed. Re- parasitic infections can be transmitted from
moval of surface and emergent vegetation, eating uncooked fish, both of which are
as a part of intensified aquaculture, reduces common sources of food poisoning from
shelter for mosquito larvae. The spread of poor storage.
insect vectors is usually related to the pool-
ing of water, but use of water for aquacul-
EAHMI Policy Brief 2 -2- May 2008
Mitigation Options Text Box 1: Practical Advice to Integrated
The following measures highlighted in blue Fish/Livestock/Poultry Farmers and Consumers
italics are recommended to: optimise pro-
ductive efficiency; mitigate adverse envi- For cheaper, more sustainable and safer fish and
animal protein production:
ronmental impacts; and address health and
The application of animal manure and
safety concerns relating to aquaculture and
supplementary feeds to fish ponds should be
integrated livestock/poultry production. optimized to reduce Biological Oxygen Demand
(BOD) and minimize stress to fish.
Animal manure should be applied sparingly at Animal housing should be well ventilated to avoid
the proper rate and time. heat stress, build up of ammonia and other gases
Biological oxygen demand (BOD) in fish from urine and manure.
ponds is greatest at night, when all pond or- Recommended stocking levels:
ganisms, including phytoplankton, respire 15,000 fingerling per hectare of fishpond; and
and consume oxygen, so that dissolved oxy- 55 pigs per hectare of fishpond, or
gen (DO) is depleted. Oxygen levels are 750 ducks per hectare of fishpond.
usually replenished during the following day Only apply animal manure during the first month of
by photosynthesis, but this daily cycle can four-month fish production cycle.
be disrupted by the application of excessive Separate liquid and solid manure in a settling tank
quantifies of animal manure, which in- and only apply liquid portion to fish ponds. Solid
creases BOD, depletes the oxygen available portion can be removed and applied to crop fields
as organic fertilizer.
to fish and exposes them to great stress. If
Use dry, or processed manure rather than raw.
low DO persists for long periods, fish may
die and anaerobic decomposition is fa- Locate animal house(s) so that manure can be
diverted into several (four) ponds in rotation.
voured, with the production of ammonia, ni-
trite and hydrogen sulfide, which are toxic Avoid multiple animal species on farm at same time.
and will eventually, poison the fish. Avoid feeding fish immediately before sale.
Use protective gear during harvesting and fish
Manure application should, therefore, be re- preparation.
stricted to the early part of the culture pe- Discourage and ultimately prevent the pumping of
riod, when stocked fish are still small and fish pond water back into supply channels that
might transfer diseases to downstream users.
their oxygen requirement is low. They are
Avoid contamination of fish flesh during evisceration
also still capable of filtering plankton effi-
prior to storage and cooking.
ciently. As they grow bigger, their filtering
Cook fish well before eating. Avoid eating raw fish.
efficiency declines and their food preference
change to other forms of food. Application of
artificial feeds should begin at this time. Animal manure should be processed before
applying to fish ponds.
When feeding of artificial feed commences,
If raw manure is applied, it tends to reduce DO
there is no need to apply animal manure to
levels and produce toxic substances. A variety
fertilise pond water, because the nutrients
of parasites may be transferred with raw ani-
from decomposed fish waste and uneaten
mal waste into pond water, which can provide
food are sufficient to sustain the growth of
suitable habitats to support various stages of a
natural food.
parasite’s life cycle. An established solution to
this problem is to dry the manure before appli-
Animal housing should be built so that manure
cation, which kills pathogens. If the source of
can be directed to several ponds in rotation.
manure is from another farm, it should be
Animal housing should be positioned in such processed in the same way as organic manure
a way that the manure produced can be ro- for agriculture, so that nutrients are preserved
tationally directed to a number of fish ponds and even enhanced by the addition of inor-
to avoid overloading with manure. ganic fertilizer and other essential nutrients.

EAHMI Policy Brief 2 -3- May 2008

 Fish ponds loaded with animal manure should Public education campaigns about the risks of
be well managed to discourage vector-borne eating raw fish should be promoted.
diseases. Health information campaigns about the
Heavy manure loading encourages the risks of eating raw fish and protection from
growth of zooplankton, which serve as food fish-borne diseases must be promoted, at all
for the larvae of mosquitoes that transmit levels from local village (barangay) to na-
malaria, dengue and encephalitis. Poorly tional. Fish-borne diseases come mostly
managed fish ponds also encourage surface from the consumption of fish infected by
and emergent vegetation, which provide pathogenic bacteria, viruses or parasites. It
shelter for mosquito larvae and cover for is, therefore, most important to remove the
snails that can be intermediate hosts of viscera and major organs of raw fish prior to
various helminth infections. storage, or marketing to reduce the risk of
contamination. This also reduces the con-
Farmers with fish ponds adjacent to irrigation tamination of hands and surfaces during
canals should be discouraged and prohibited cleaning and evisceration of fish and, thus,
from draining pond water into the irrigation. helps prevent cross-contamination of other
Draining of pond water at harvest time into foods.
irrigation canals is a highly risky practice,
which can very easily spread fish diseases References
and other water-borne diseases from one Espino, A. N. J., A. J. Barroga, J. S. Abucay, M.
area into another. Cinense and C. J. Domingo (2008). A GIS-
aided study of integrated aquaculture and
Sufficient time must be allowed for the dissipa- livestock/poultry production in the Philip-
tion of any pathogens or harmful metabolites pines. Science City of Muños: Central Luzon
present in fish flesh prior to marketing. State University, College of Fisheries and
Bacteria are present in all environments, but College of Veterinary Science and Medicine:
fish ponds with water containing excessive pp135. May 2008.
concentrations of bacteria are likely to in-
duce infection of fish organs and muscles. If This Policy Brief is one of a series of policy
animal manure has been the major source oriented and strategic planning outputs of
of nutrients prior harvest, sufficient time the Environmental Animal Health Manage-
must be allowed for the dissipation of any ment Initiative, a joint project of the De-
pathogens or harmful metabolites present in partment of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal
fish flesh. This can be achieved by: Industry and the Food and Agriculture Or-
ganisation of the United Nations, funded by
• Ceasing the application of manure, re- the Italian Government (GCP/PHI/050/ITA):
placing the water and providing the fish
EAHMI Policy Brief 1: Animal disease dis-
with artificial food until harvest; tribution modelling and risk mapping in the
• Transferring the fish to another newly Philippines: liver fluke and surra. February
prepared pond; 2008.
• Changing the source of nutrients to EAHMI Policy Brief 2: Livestock and poultry
commercial inorganic fertilizer; manure use in aquaculture in the Philippines.
May 2008.
• Apply probiotics to enhance aerobic de-
EAHMI Policy Brief 3: Land suitability for
composition of accumulated waste and
integrated aquaculture and livestock/poultry
feed the fish with artificial food. production in the Philippines. June 2008.
EAHMI Policy Brief 4: Expert panel rec-
Health and safety awareness campaigns and
ommendations for Surra control in the Philip-
advocacy are required to encourage the use of pines. June 2008.
protective gear, including waterproof gloves,
waders and insect repellent, and the proper use
For further information, please contact:
of equipment.
Environmental Animal Health Management
Protective clothing reduces skin diseases of Initiative, Bureau of Animal Industry, Visayas
the extremities due to long exposure to Avenue, Quezon City 1128, Metro Manila,
moisture and to protect from vector-borne Philippines, or visit our webpage:
diseases, such as schistosomiasis, malaria
and dengue. http://www.bai.ph/eahmi/default.html

EAHMI Policy Brief 2 -4- May 2008

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