International Journal of Fishery Science and Aquaculture ISSN 9521-4569 Vol. 3 (2), pp. 040-045, February, 2016. Available online at www.advancedscholarsjournals.org © Advanced Scholars Journals Full length Research paper Fish growth performance in ponds integrated with poultry farm and fertilized with goat manure: a case in Ethiopian Rift Valley Megerssa Endebu 1 *, Daba Tugie 1 and Tokuma Negisho 1 , 1 Zeway Fisheries Resources Research Center, P.Box 229.Zeway, Ethiopia. Accepted 03 January, 2016. Extensive fish farming is expanding among farmers in Ethiopia where integration with other system is opting to combat the limiting fish feed supply. This experiment was conducted in earthen ponds to evaluate fish growth performance in pond integrated with poultry farm (T2) against fish growth in goat manure fertilized pond (T1) without feed supplement. Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) poly-culture was used. The size of fish at stocking for O.niloticus and C.carpio were32.0±7.51 g and 13.1±2.81 g at density of 1.5 and 0.6 m -2 respectively. Fish were weighed individually at harvest and the average weight of the two groups were compared in independent sample t-test for both species separately. The O.niloticus significantly (p<0.05) higher average final weight of 174.2±40.8 g at a faster daily growth rate (DGR) of 0.75 g.day -1 inT2 than in T1 with 80.0±15.8 g final weight at DGR of 0.25g.day -1 during the culture period of 190 days. Similarly, C.carpio attained a significantly higher (p<0.05) average final weight of 277.1±33.79g at a rapid DGR of 1.8g.day -1 in T2 than in T1, which attained average final weight of 55.0±15.6 g atDGR of 0.28 g.day -1 during 150 days culture period. Hence, integrating fish pond with poultry farm results in faster fish growth rate which can be used as a good option to solve the feed problem facing extensive fish farms in Ethiopia. Key words: Cyprinus carpio, Integration, Oreochromis niloticus, Pond, Poultry. INTRODUCTION More than 500 million people depend, directly or indirectly, on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods (FAO, 2011). Demand for fish and fishery products is predicted to remain increasing because of population growth, economic development and changes in food habits (FAO, 2001). Supply from capture fisheries is expected to remain constant, or even to decline. Indeed, fish supply from the capture fisheries in most countries is believed to have reached or be close to the maximum sustainable yield suggesting that an increase in aquaculture fish supply could help reduce the expected shortage of fish. Besides availing fish to a wider range of consumers, aquaculture can also provide jobs; generate income, increase food security and contributing to alleviation of hunger in countries like Ethiopia. *Corresponding author’s: e-mail: iamendebu@yahoo.com Aquaculture in Ethiopia is at its infancy level. Farmers in Oromia region practiced extensive fish farming in small ponds using Nile tilapia since 2008 (DabaTugie, 2010). The performances of these fish farms were mentioned promising. However, it was not supported with a package to attain potential production level. One of the many constraints of fish farming in Ethiopia is feed supply. On the other hand, many farmers in Ethiopia are rearing animals like cattle, poultry, sheep, goat equines and/or camels. They also grow vegetables using irrigation in addition to production ofother field crops. Under an extensive management, the problem of feed supply in fish farm can be managed under low cost system and maximized resources utilization by integrating different farms which can supply organic fertilizer to the fish pond.Organic fertilizers are usually animal manures or plant wastes and cuttings ("green manure").Manure from chickens, goats, sheep, ducks, pigs, rabbits, cattle and horses are excellent fertilizers for fish ponds. Direct use of the waste from livestock production in fish ponds is wide