Mariam Akinloye
The Lagos State Catfish & Allied Farmers association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN), Ikorodu Zone, continued its engagements with members in improving their outputs and maximizing profits with trainings and exposure to feeds.
At the July meeting of the group held at its usually venue, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Secretariat hall, members were trained on the use of natural herbs in treating fishes.
The Chairman of the zone, Mr Olatoye Jajimi and other members of the excos were decorated with tags of offices during the meeting.
Participants were engaged on how to use Dongoyaro, Bitter, Tagiri, Pawpaw leaves and garlic in this regard.
LASCAFAN Ikorodu branch chairman, Mr Olajimi, engaging members in the training said that the proper application of the leaves will prevent infections, make fish live well and reduce cost of breeding them.
Speaking on the Dongoyaro leaves as natural treatment, he warned participants not to use them every day.
According to him, farmers may apply the leaves three to four times weekly.
“Don’t load them with too much of Dongoaro leaves. You may alternate the days so that you’ll only apply it three or four times weekly”, he said.
“If that is done, you will see that they will convert more flesh and the level of coming down with infections will be much more reduced.
“I have been doing it, especially when my fishes are falling sick. I usually do an emergency run with it and I have noticed improvement each time I do it. So, I want to encourage many of us that are interested in the treatment to give it a try just like we are doing with some of our feeds”.
He also charged members to experiment the process with some of their fishes while others are handled in the old ways for comparison.
“Endeavour to feed some of your fishes with normal treatment that you are used to, while others should be treated with these natural leaves. Let’s compare over time the result we are going to be getting in term of infections and fish gaining more flesh”, he said.
He said that the natural process will improve the water quality for fish to survive very well.
Olatoye also said that the natural treatment is expected to reduce the bacteria in the fishes, though not completely because, according to him, some of the bacteria are also good for their development which is why these treatments cannot be done every day.
Furthermore, LASCAFAN Chairman said that training and experience sharing will continue to be part of the monthly training in order to improve productivity of members.
Mr Adebanjo Isiaka, State Secretary of the association and other members who have experimented with some of the leaves also shared their experiences with the farmers.
At the meeting, which was attended by about 100 members of the association, different feeds producing companies also came to do presentations of their respective feeds and other products.
Members of LASCAFAN, however, charged the companies to do further research and develop feeds with local materials to reduce cost of feeds which they said is weighing too much on them.
They also charged feed producers to endeavour to make their feeds available for joint trials to enable farmers to ascertain their qualities.
The farmers were also updated on fishery programmes of the Lagos State Government in Ikorodu and other parts of the state.
