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MIracle Molecule (Transfer Factor)

2006-07-06T04:24:00.000-07:00

MIracle Molecule product, Transfer Factor, a result of 50 years of research by the scientists of 4Life Research based in the US. I really admire the uniqueness of the product because it really protects and reinforce the immune system of the human body. I was amazed when I learned that there are many benefits that our body could get from this historical research, primarily it really gives the immune system the weapon, armor and a fortress to fight diseases. The simplest explanation about transfer factor is transfering a factor, a very important information to the immune system so that it has the necessary data to check whether a bacteria or virus are both friends or enemies. 4Life's big boss David Lisonbee called it a Miracle Molecule because it is a miraculous discovery that was first made in 1949 - a tiny molecule in white blood cells, a communication molecule that helps alert immune system cells to what they ought to be doing. What is the uniqueness of the Miracle Molecule Transfer Factor? It is a molecule, the best among molecules in the colostrum of a breast milk, cow's milk, and from the chicken egg yolk that could boosts the natural defense system of our body. How? It helps your immune system do three things: Be Smart - Your immune system relies on information. It needs to know (1) that there’s a problem and (2) how to deal with it. The information-carrying molecules in 4Life Transfer Factor are nature’s way of keeping your immune system informed and ready to respond; Be Speedy - Bacteria’s secret to survival is to multiply unbelievably fast. A few minutes is often all the time unhealthy bacteria need to become a force to reckon with. 4Life Transfer Factor helps your immune system act quickly to stop bacteria from multiplying. This can reduce the strain on your system to a fraction of what it might have been. Basically, with a speedy immune system, bacteria don’t get much of a chance to start spreading in the first place; Be Effective - 4Life Transfer Factor educates your immune system so it can track what germs you’ve encountered in the past and how your body best dealt with them. This history of germ-fighting success helps your immune system respond more effectively, as well as more quickly, to each new event. How does 4Life Transfer Factor work? Click here: http://www.4life.com/transferfactor.aspx?pmode=5

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The School On Air

2006-04-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Agritech Program first aired over DZRH on March 8, 1999 with the blessings of our dear Almighty GOD and still in the airwaves up to the present and continuously informing the Filipino people about new technologies in Agriculture. Despite some issues it faced to survive, Agritech continues it's task to help and encourage people to acknowledge and utilize the gifts GOD gave us thru farming, fishing, livestock production and processing of agricultural products. To the best knowledge and best effort we have, the Agritech program never ceases its airing and sending off basic materials in agriculture. The program has been labeled by many listeners as "agriculture school on air" because themselves testified the program is doing great to the interes of the Filipino people helping them alleviate their lives from poverty by increasing their meager income. With your untiring and incessant support, we in the Agritech Program would not enervate to share new technologies, strategies and knowledge in the field of Agriculture. We encourage you to share to us your new techniques and be proud of our own style of feeding the mind of the Filipino farmers. We aim to serve you - our dear listeners, up to the last second of our humble program. GOD Bless Agritech and the Filipino People!!!

Bangus Deboning and Fish Recipes

2005-12-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

BONELESS BANGUS

Procedure
- Wash the fish.
- Split the fish, butterfly style.
- Remove the internal organs, gills, blood and slime. Then wash the fish thoroughly.
- Remove the backbone and dorsal fins by means of a sharp knife.
- With the use of forceps, remove the spines at the belly cavity. This can done easily because the spiner are superficially embedded.
- Debone.

Make a superficial slit along the dent of the dorsal and ventral muscles with the edge of a knife. Removes spines one after the other by inserting the pair of forceps between the segments of the dorsal and ventral muscles.

Continue removing the spines in similar manner on the dorsal and ventral areas until all spines are eliminated.

From the dorsal portion, there are approximately 44 branching spines embedded between the muscles segments. Starting from the nape along the lateral line 22 spines are embedded and along the ventral muscles are 24 spines.

SMOKED SOFT- BONED BANGUS

Procedure
- Remove the gills and open the soft belly to remove the internal organs.
- Wash fish thoroughly to remove blood, slime, dirt, etc.
- After washing, soak fish in concentrated brine for 120 minutes. To prepare concentrated brine, mix thoroughly 1 part salt and 3 parts water.
- Drain brined bangus for a few minutes, wrap in aluminum foil and then process in a retort or pressure cooker at 10 lbs. pressure for an average time of 90 to 120 minutes. Processing time varies according to size and age of bangus.
- After processing, "dry to the touch" under the sun for 30 to 48 minutes or in any suitable artificial dryer.
Smoke the processed fish in a suitable smokehouse for 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown.

BANGUS SARDINES

Ingredients

1 1/2 kilo bangus
2 1/2 cups water
10 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil or corn oil
1/2 bottle tomato catsup
2 medium carrots
10 pcs kamias
2 tbsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
1 large can tomato chili sauce
Procedure
Mix all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes or until soft.

BANGUS PAKSIW

Ingredients

1 fresh fat bangus, about 1 lb.
1 small ampalaya (quartered)
1 small eggplant (quartered)
3 pcs hot green pepper
Salt or patis to taste
1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 pc inch-long ginger pounded
Procedure
Clean bangus without removing the scales. Cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Salt pieces and set aside. Prepare vegetables. Arrange fish and whole pepper over the vegetables. Add vinegar. Bring to a boil without stirring. Add water and continue simmering until fish is cooked. Add patis to taste.

BULANGLANG WITH BANGUS

Ingredients
1 bangus (broiled whole)
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 small eggplant, halved
1 small ampalaya, quartered
1/2 cup 2-inch slices sitao
1/2 cup malunggay or sitao tops
1/2 sliced tomatoes
1 cup rice washing
Bagoong to taste

Procedure
Place eggplant, ampalaya, sitao, onion, tomatoes with rice washing and bagoong in claypot or saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add fish and malunggay or sitao tops. Cover to simmer until vegetables are just crisp-tender.

Milkfish Production

2005-12-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Semi-intensive culture of MILKFISH

Over the years, there has been a big steady demand for milkfish or bangus in the country. It has also been doing well in the international market with Philippine export of frozen or chilled bangus reaching over 526 metric tons or some P8.5 million annually.

The following gives a good overview of how to manage your own fishponds using a site already developed.

Site selection
Select existing brackishwater fish farms that are fully developed and operational. Former prawn farms can be used for milkfish farming. The site should have:
- high tidal range and can hold water at least one meter deep;
- good water quality and more or less have constant salinity and temperature throughout the year;
- longer dry season, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam; and
- access to roads and power supply.

Pond layout and design
- Improve or modify existing structures to suit the management requirements of the proposed production scheme.
- Concentrate on the repair and strengthening of dikes, cut-and-fill levelling of pond bottom, and construction of diagonal canal, drain canal and drain culvert gate to improve pond structures.
- Modify pond structures to improve water management and stock manipulation systems as well as to meet desired management schedules and production targets. The pond can be of any size (the bigger, the better) for optimum production using the modular method.
- Divide pond into four compartments: nursery pond (NP); transition pond (TP); formation pond (FP); and rearing pond (RP).
- Provide a separate culvert-type drain gate and canal system opposite the inlet gate and canal system for rearing ponds to effect efficient water exchange and circulation.
- Construct an inside-pond diagonal canal to facilitate draining and harvesting of stock.

Pond preparation and food requirements
- Carry out thorough pond preparation such as crack drying, liming and tilling once a year.
- Prepare the ponds grown with lab-lab before fish stocking.
- Apply organic and inorganic fertilizer to stimulate growth of natural food organisms.
- Extend pond preparation and food growing in grow-out ponds to 45 days to allow more time for the abundant growth of lab-lab.

Production strategy
- Purchase the required fry once every year of operation, especially during the peak season in May.
- Start production in the nursery pond, then the transition pond, formation pond, and finally the rearing pond.
- Divide the grow-out process into two phases: formation and rearing phases.
- Allow the fingerlings to from a 20 g fingerling size to a 50 g post-fingerling size in the formation pond using natural food organisms as primary food for the stock.
- Transfer the post-fingerlings to the rearing pond. Milkfish will grow to the marketable size of 250 g in three months at an average growth rate of 2.2 g/day. Expect the milkfish to grow bigger during the dry season at an average growth rate of 3 g/day.
- Provide supplementary feeds to sustain fish growth particularly during the wet season when lab-lab and other natural foods in the pond are depleted. A weekly feed conditioning is necessary to determine the attractability of the feed.
- Efficient feeds should be used. Unattractive feeds result in poor health of the milkfish.
- Eradicate snail pests called suso and bangungon. These pests destroy lab-lab mat and compete with bangus for lab-lab. Use alternative molluscicide, like tobacco dust, applied at 300-400 kg/ha or collect the snails by sweeping or handpicking and burn them with rice straw.

Pond water management
- Increase water depth from 0.6 m to 1 m particularly during the last two months of culture operation. Note: An abrubt increase in water depth will cause lab-lab to detach and float. Install fine-meshed screens (bastidor or lumpot) at the gates to prevent the re-entry of wild species or the possible escape of stock.
- Monitor water quality parameters (turbidity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature regularly to check for any sign of risk. Maintain the optimum water condition to support maximum growth of milkfish.
- Change water at least every two weeks or as frequent as possible.
- Install a stand-by water pump to maintain desired water depth when water management through tidal fluctuation is not possible.

Do's and Dont's in setting up and managing a fish pond.
- Avoid areas with problems of domestic, industrial, or agricultural pollution.
- Ensure sufficient supply of clean water.
- Put up independent water supply.
- Apply complete drying, and if indicated, liming of sediments.
- Always stock good quality fingerlings.
- Practice right stocking density according to management capability and environmental conditions.
- Maintain high quality water supply.
- Always ensure sufficient water exchange.
- Avoid adding large volumes of new water that may contain pollutants (setting of water in reservoir before use can improve its quality).
- Set regular water quality monitoring (e.g., turbidity, water color, dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature) activities.
- Anticipate adverse weather conditions. Sudden rain or thumderstorms during hot day may present dangers as well as sudden changes in water temperature which may also result in some fish kills.
- Observe extra precaution to minimize the possibility of dike wash-out flooding and the like.
- Apply controlled feeding and feed fish only with high quality food.
- Monitor survival rate, biomass, growth and health.
- Quarantine new stock.

Harvesting
Harvesting milkfish that have attained the marketable size can be done either through the current method locally called as pasubang or the total draining method. Total draining is the common method for harvesting milkfish. However, this lowers the quality of the fish because mud sticks to the fish.

To maintain fish quality, the pasubang method can be used. This takes advantage of the tendency of the fish to swim against the current. The method is carried out by draining water in the pond particularly during low tide to induce fish to swim through the gate.

Close the gate when all the fish have been impounded. Total harvest is done manually by collecting or picking the remaining fish from the pond bottom.

Packing for transport
Part of the business is transporting the goods to the market. To ensure that fish will remain fresh until they reach their destination, they must be packed with sufficient quantity of ice and loaded with care.

Methods of packing fresh fish for transport
- Wash the fish with pond water prior to icing and sort according to size.
- Pre-chill or immerse the fish in a chilling tank, box or banyera with ice water immediately after harvest.
- Dip the fish in ice water before packing to keep them from losing scales due to subsequent handling.
- Spread a layer of crushed ice 15 cm thick at the bottom of the transport box. Make sure the ice is compact to minimize thawing and to cushion the fish.
- Lay about 100 kg of the fish on top of the crushed ice. Arrange the fish heads pointing to the one direction only.
- Spread another layer of crushed ice 5 cm thick on top of the fish.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the last layer of fish is 15 cm below the top of the box.
- Place the last layer of crushed ice 15 cm thick on top of the last layer of fish. The bottom and the top layers of ice should always be 15 cm thick.
- Note: If the fish will be transported by land, a 1:2 ratio of ice to fish (weight basis) is needed for 1 1/2 hours of travel, and a 1:1 ratio for 3 hours of travel. However, if transporting by boat or ship, do not remove fish from the styrofoam boxes. The fish can stay fresh in a styrofoam box for 12 hours.

Advantages of pre-chilling
Pre-chilling the fish will prevent excessive damage and will keep the fish looking fresh. It also removes blood, slime, dirt and bacteria from the skin of the fish, and slows down enzymatic activities, thus minimizing further deterioration.

Ecological considerations
If not properly planned or managed, fishponds may adversely affect the environment, e.g. by causing water pollution. To mitigate such problems, adopt appropriate safeguards to protect the environment. Likewise, avoid pond development in environmentally critical areas such as mangrove areas, marine parks, and reserves, and sanctuaries. If possible, use teaseed cake/powder instead of strong chemicals in controlling pests and predators in fishponds. If chemical pesticide is used, count five to seven days before flushing pond water into the river to avoid polluting the river and poisoning other aquatic organisms. Futhermore, avoid overfeeding the fish with commercial feeds. Decaying uneaten feeds can pollute water and pond environment.

Plant mangroves or other trees on the dikes to strengthen them and to avoid erosion. Dikes can also be planted to cash crops, e.g. string beans, kamote, okra, and peppers.

Support services
Technical assistance can be requested from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-DA) and the Coastal Environment Program of the Department of Enviroment and Natural Resources (CEP-DENR).

(For Lay-Outs and Other Important Figures of Milkfish Production visit: http://www.da.gov.ph/welcome.html then click the farm tips corner

Tilapia Culture

2005-12-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

BIOLOGY OF TILAPIA

Tilapia is a member of the family Cichlidae. Three genera are well-known namely Oreochromis, Tilapia and Sarotherodon, of which nile tilapia belongs to genus Oreochromis. This species is naturally distributed in Palestine, the Nile River as well as most part of African river and lakes. It was introduced in the Philippines in 1972. It's rising popularity is due to their hardness, resistance to diseases, ease in breeding, reasonable growth rate, good taste, and tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions including temperature and salinities.

Taxomic Positions of Tilapia
Most tilapia species of the tribe Tilapiani now being used in aquaculture were grouped initially into one genus, Tilapia. The species within this genus were later classified according to differences in their mode of reproduction (Low McConnel; 1959 Trewawas, 1973, 1978, 1982). Species which evolved as substrate spawner but guard their eggs were retained in the genus tilapia while those which orally rear their clutches were grouped into a new species Sarotherodon. Classification of the three genera Tilapia, Sarotherodon and Oreochromis was based largely on the differences on their reproduction and feeding habits.

Classification of Tilapia Species used in Aquaculture
Genus Tilapia (Substrate spawners) Both parents guard, protect, aerate the breed, and help move clutch to different nest sites. Fry at first feeding are 4-5 mm and show feeble swimming ability. Fry survival relatively low.

Genus Sarotherodon (Paternal/biparental) Both parents stay close to each other. Eggs and fry brooded in oral cavity up until they are ready for release. Brood may not be collected once released. Fry are between 7-9 mm at first breeding, well developed fins for swimming. Fry survival high.

Genus Oreochromis (Maternal) Female solely involve in brood care. After spawning, female leaves nest to rear her clutch in safety. Fry brooded up until free swimming. There is an extended period of care during which fry seek shelter in buccal cavity for safety. First feeders have well-developed fins for swimming. Fry survival high.

Sex Identification
Sex identification of tilapia is relatively simple. The male has two openings just in front of the anal fin. The large opening is the anus and the smaller opening at the tip is the urogenital pore. The female has three openings: the anus, the genital pore, and the urinary pore. The genital papilla is usually smaller in the female. Tilapia can be sexed when it has attained the weight of 15 grams. Application of ink or dark dyes to the papillae may increase the accuracy of sexing and may allow sexing of smaller fish. By rubbing ink along the papillae of the tilapia, sexes can be readily distinguished.

Spawning
The Nile tilapia is a mouth-brooder. The male establishes a territory and builds a round nest in the pond bottom. (Usually the diameter of a nest is 30 to 60 centimeters. The size of the nest is correlated to the size of the male). The female enters the nest and lays the eggs. The eggs are fertilized by the male. The female then collects and incubates the eggs in her mouth. The eggs are yellow in color. Eggs hatch in about five to seven days. After hatching the fry remain in the mouth of the female for another four to seven days. The fry begin to swim freely in schools, but may return to the mouth of the mother when threatened. Females do not feed during incubation or the brooding period.

Females spawn every four to six weeks, but may spawn sooner if the eggs are removed. The number of eggs per spawning is related to the size of the female. A female of about 100 grams may produce approximately 100 eggs per spawning while a female of about 100 to 600 grams can produce approximately 1,000 to 1,500 or more eggs per spawning.

TILAPIA HATCHERY MANAGEMENT & FINGERLING PRODUCTION
Brood Stock Selection and maintenance of Good Quality Stock
Hatchery Methods
Fish Disease Prevention
Handling and Transportation of Fingerlings

To meet the demand for tilapia fingerlings, more private hatcheries should be established. Although some fish-farmers specialize in fingerling production, many of them are engaged in fingerling and food fish production simultaneously. As the indury expands, farmers realize the importance of using good quality fingerlings. As long as the demand for fingerlings exists, a well-managed hatchery is a lucrative business.

Brood Stock Selection
Genetic improvement of tilapia is imperative to the development of the industry. Select quality brood stock to improve tilapia production. Choose pure quality stocks and do not allow them to crossbreed with other species to preserve their genetic quality. Tilapia farmers should buy their stocks only from reliable and established sources.

Maintenance of Good Quality Stock
- It is necessary to maintain high quality pure stock with the following measures:
Prevent the introduction of inferior tilapia species into the brood ponds. Filter all incoming water or use ground water, if possible
- Use brood fish of about 100 g or more. If larger brood stock are used the original stock can be easily identified after each production cycle. Use the same stock repeatedly, depending on their performance.
- Adopt an independent culling-selection process for undesirable stock. Always eliminate fish that has questionable characteristics
- Examine breeders carefully when re-stocking after each cycle.
- Avoid introduction of breeders from non-accredited sources.
- Teach laborers and caretakers the importance of preventing genetic contamination.
- Drain ponds completely and remove all stocks pond reconditioning.

Hatchery Methods
Pond Method
The open pond is the simplest and most common method of fingerling production. In this method, a pond serves both for spawning and rearing. Stock breeders into the ponds and allow to spawn naturally at controlled conditions.
Brood fish stocking rate. Stock pond at the rate at 100 to 200 kg brood stock per hectare at a sex ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 male to female. Brood only fish weighing about 50-100 g. A female brood fish of 90-300 g produces as much as 500 eggs per spawning. However, brood fish may be used continuously for a period of 3-5 years. Use larger breeders to identify them as brood stock.
Collecting, grading and conditioning fingerlings. Collect fingerlings 30-45 days after stocking of breeders using knot 32 mesh seine. Do this 3-4 times per harvest period at an interval of two to four weeks. Grade collected fingerlings by using 22k, 17k, 14k and 10k nets. Release breeders back to the pond immediately. Condition collected fingerlings by stocking these in "hapa" or tanks for 3 or more days before disposal. Give the fingerlings supplementary feeds at the rate of 3% body weight. However, stop feeding 24 hours prior to disposal. The ideal stocking rate for 'hapa" is 2-3 kg of fingerlings per cubic meter. The average number of fingerlings harvested should be at least 100,000 pieces per hectare per month or about 1.2 million per hectare per year. Increasing the frequency of harvesting and minimize predation and cannibalism by the parent fish and other predators of the fingerlings. Recondition the ponds after 120 days or sooner to increase production. Restock small fingerlings in earth nurseries to reach the desired size of size 22 at 15-30 days and size 17 at 45 days. Stocking rates between 25 to 30 fingerlings per square meter give optimum results.

Routine hatchery pond fertilization. Aside from the basal fertilization, apply organic fertilizer uniformly such as air-dried chicken dung at the rate of 750 kg/ha per week or 3 tons/ha per month. Apply inorganic fertilizers (16-20-0) at the rate of 100 kg/ha per month. New ponds may require higher rates of fertilizers. Increase the rate of fertilizer if plankton bloom does not appear within 5-10 days. Apply fertilizer by means of the platform or by the hanging sack method. Feeding. If manure is not applied, use supplemental feeding feed fish with rice bran at the rate of 2-3% of their body weight per day. Give 1/2 of the daily ration in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. Drain the pond completely after 90-120 days to eliminate predators and prevent inbreeding. To prepare the pond for the next production cycle, refer to "Fishpond Preparation".

Advantages of the Open Pond
- management is very simple, but effective
- the pond serves as spawning and rearing pond, thus, the fingerlings produced are larger compared to those produced through the other methodsNo supplemental feeding is required at high manuring rates

Disadvantages of the Open Pond
- the number of fingerlings produced per square meter is lesser compared with the other methods
- the fingerlings produced are not of the same size; they need to be graded upon harvesting.

"Hapa" Method
A "hapa" (net enclosure or "bitinan") is like an inverted mosquito net which the four top corners are tied to bamboo stakes. It is made of fine meshed polyethelene netting. The seams are sewn with nylon thread and double stitched to prevent splitting. A "hapa", measuring 3 m long , 3 m wide and 1.5 m deep is the most common size used. Usualy, it is installed in ponds, lakes or along river banks with slow moving current. The open part of the "hapa" should be two feet above the water surface.

Advantages of the Open Pond
- production on a per square meter basis is high
- fry are more uniform in size
- fry and breeders are easily handled

Disadvantages of the Open Pond
- management is more complicated and intense compared with the other methods
- brood fish in "hapa" are easy targets of poachers

- "Hapas" may be destroyed or blown away during typhoon or stormy weather
- feeding of breeders and fry is a must

Stocking. In the "hapa" method, the sex ratio of male to female is 1:5 to 1:7. Stock 4-5 breeders weighing 50 to 200 g pe sq m.

Feeding. Feeding is a must in the "hapa" daily for the presence of schooling fry. Two weeks stocking of breeders, scoop out fry and transfer these to tanks, other "hapas" or rearing pond. Feed collected fry a diet in powdered form at the rate of 5 percent of the total body weight.

Collecting fry. Check the "hapa" daily for the presence of schooling fry. Two weeks after stocking of breeders, scoop out fry and transfer these to tanks, other "hapas" or rearing ponds. Feed collected fry a diet in powdered form at the rate of 5 percent of their body weight per day. Feed four times a day until they reach the desired size.

Agritech Hosts and Staff

1999-03-08T18:41:00.000-08:00