Saturday, January 08, 2011

Good Start, Pay Forward

January 2 2011, Panorama of the Manila Bulletin had a two page spread on our pasturing white chickens. January 7 2011, Mag Agri Tayo (Every Saturday, 9am, Channel 4) set an appointment for another shoot next week covering Azolla, fPJ and OHN....this was just after they featured us on white pastured chickens in their December 25 2010 episode.   January 8 2011, Agripage of Manila Bulletin played up the use of Azolla as an alternative feeds for animals.  By mid morning, Channel 5 did a chance interview on us at Mercato Centrale for the Sunshine Chicken and we had another chance to highlight Azolla.

Today, I was also asked how much would Azolla cost?  "It multiplies so fast that I think it is a sin to sell it...besides, we were taught and given time and Azolla, it has to be paid forward to others".

These were the two photos that were used by Mr. Zac Sarian's Agripage, Jan 8, 2011:

AZOLLA IS CHEAP CHICKEN FEED - If you want to economize on feeds for your free range chicken, you should try growing Azolla even if you have just a small fishpond.  Just like what Dr. Rey Itchon is doing in their farm in Santiago City, Isabela.  They raise Azolla in their Tilapia ponds and harvest the water plant for feeding their white chickens which are raised as free range chickens.  The Itchons say that the chickens just love to eat Azolla which is rich in protein.  They only feed their chickens once a day with commercial feeds that is without any antibiotics.  Instead, they enhance the health of their fowls by adding fermented plant juice, which they themselves make, in their drinking water.  Photo above shows the Itchons' pond full of Azolla while at the lower photo, the chickens are relishing the Azolla given them.

Close up of Azolla:
We are now harvesting 50kgs a day, that translates to savings of PHP1500 a day.  That is what we feed the Sunshines.  We haven't even counted our Pangasius and Tilapia that live on Azolla alone.  We did a sampling recently and the growth is comparable to commercial fishponds that are fed with commercial feeds.   

Setting up additional holding areas to bring up the harvest to 100kgs a day :)

8 comments:

  1. May I know where in Iloilo can I get some Azola for seeding purposes? Bushtrekker

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    Replies
    1. Sir may na contact ka na nga ga baligya azola dire sa iloilo? tnx..

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  2. Are you on FB? Can you LIKE the page Philippines for Natural Farming, Inc and pls post this question there.

    I can get you some here in Luzon but let's post the question for the Visayas area. There must be some natural farmers there with Azolla :)

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  3. How do you feed azolla in tilapia? feed it as is or needed to be dried?
    Thank you..

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    Replies
    1. Feed as is, thrown to the pond. Throw a lot, so they can't consume it all and has the opportunity to multiply :)

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  4. Sa angadanan isabela po kmi.saan po makabili ng chicks at Azola pls.mga 60 chicks lang muna po

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  5. Where can i buy azolla plants in santiago city or nearby town?

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