How to farm loach well in winter? Master these key points

Loach has long been known as “water ginseng,” is deeply loved by consumers, and is very popular in both domestic and international markets, with broad sales channels. Since 1995, loach has been selling well on the market for more than ten consecutive years, with annual demand of 10-15 million tons, but the market can only supply 5-6 million tons, leaving a large gap. Loach farming has become an effective way to start a business and get rich. So how should loach be farmed well in winter? Are the costs and profits high?

I. How should loach be farmed well in winter?

1. Pond construction

Choose a place with convenient water diversion, shelter from wind and sun exposure, no pesticide pollution, and slightly alkaline bottom soil to build the pond. The pond can be a cement pond or an earthen pond. The walls of an earthen pond need to be built with bricks or stones, or tamped tight with lime-sand-clay mixture, and the pond bottom needs to be tamped tight so that it is sturdy, durable, and free of leaks. Spread 20-30 cm of fertile mud on the pond bottom. The water inlet and outlet should be blocked with wire mesh or plastic mesh, and the pond bottom should slope toward the drainage outlet to facilitate drainage and harvesting.

2. Water cultivation and seed stocking

Clear the pond and disinfect it according to the fry and fingerling rearing method. Keep the pond water depth at 30-50 cm, and apply organic fertilizer such as pig manure to cultivate water quality, with a dosage of 20-30 kg per 100 sq m. After the medicinal effect disappears and the pond water becomes fertile, loach seeds can be stocked; if there are flowing water conditions, the amount can be appropriately increased.

3. Feeding management

On the basis of fertilizing water quality and providing natural bait, it is necessary to increase the feeding of animal feed such as freshwater mussel meat, small miscellaneous fish meat, fish meal, maggots, earthworms, and livestock and poultry scraps, as well as plant-based feed such as wheat bran, soybean residue, rice bran, and cakes, or artificial compound feed. Generally, feed once each in the morning and afternoon, with a daily feeding amount of 5%-10% of the loach's body weight. Feeding should be flexibly controlled according to weather, water quality, and feeding conditions. When the water temperature is above 15°C, the loach's appetite gradually increases; 20-30°C is the suitable temperature range for feeding; 25-27°C is when the appetite is especially strong; and when it exceeds 30°C or is below 15°C, as well as on thunderstorm days, feeding may be omitted. In addition, reasonable fertilization should be carried out according to water fertility, keeping pond water transparency at 15-20 cm, with yellow-green water color being preferable. When the water temperature reaches 30°C, the pond water should be changed frequently, and the water depth should be increased; when loach often swims to the water surface and gulps air, it indicates lack of oxygen in the water, so fertilization should be stopped and new water should be added. In winter, the pond water depth should be increased, and barnyard manure such as cow dung and pig manure can be applied at the pond corners to raise the water temperature and ensure the loach safely overwinter.

II. Are loach farming costs and profits high?

(1) Costs

1. Water surface rent

Assume the water surface rent is 600 yuan per mu per year (it varies by place, and the data can be adjusted on your own). For a 2-mu loach pond, the water surface rent cost is about 1200 yuan.

2. Funds for purchasing fry

For 2 mu of water surface, stock 1200 jin of loach fry. Calculated at 28 yuan per jin, this requires 33600 yuan.

3. Feed cost

1200 jin of fry generally requires about 5000 jin of feed input, and the bait cost is about 15000 yuan. If the pond has abundant aquatic plants, humus, aquatic organisms, and plankton, plus self-produced rice bran, wheat bran, soybean residue, vegetables, and other materials used as feed, then the feed cost will certainly be greatly reduced, and profits will be higher.

4. Other expenses

Other expenses mainly include fishery drugs, water and electricity, labor wages, and loach pond renovation, totaling about 8000 yuan.

The loach farming period generally matures in about 3-5 months. In summary, the total farming cost is about 60000 yuan. Of course, the above is calculated according to the national average standard. If factors such as technical level, market price fluctuations, and other unpredictable factors are taken into account, the total investment cost will also differ.

(2) Income

For farming loach in 2 mu of water surface, stocking 1200 jin of fry, the output is about 6000 jin. Estimating the market price of commercial loach (at a conservative price) at 15 yuan per jin, the total income from 6000 jin of loach is 90000 yuan. Artificially farmed loach can be stocked 2-3 batches per year, so the per-mu benefit should be several times greater.

(3) Profit

Assuming fry are stocked 3 times a year, then the income is 270000 yuan, the cost is 180000 yuan, and the profit is 90000 yuan.

However, different loach farming methods also bring different profits. The following mainly analyzes several specific farming models.

1. Benefit analysis of cage culture: Set up 50 cages per mu of pond. The cost of the cages is 3000 yuan (used for 3 years, depreciated at 300 yuan per year). Each mu uses 1000 jin of fry, at 10 yuan per jin, totaling 10000 yuan. Feed cost is 12000 yuan. Drugs and other expenses are 750 yuan. The total input cost per mu is about 25750 yuan. Each mu produces 4000 jin of loach, at 12 yuan per jin, with total income of 48000 yuan. After subtracting costs, the profit per mu is 22250 yuan. Adding the income from silver carp, bighead carp, and freshwater shrimp outside the cages makes it even higher.

The cost of cage culture of loach per mu of land is 25750 yuan. For specific costs, first look at the cost of one cage: one cage is 60 yuan; 20 jin of wild loach need to be purchased, totaling 200 yuan; after 4-6 months of rearing, the weight increases 4-6 times, reaching at least 80 jin. Each jin of weight gain costs 4 yuan in feed, so the total feed cost is 240 yuan. If a large amount of self-bred earthworms are used as feed, the cost can be reduced by 20%; drug cost is 15 yuan; the above totals 515 yuan.

2. Benefit analysis of cement pond culture: The construction cost of a 10-sq-m cement pond is 300-400 yuan. Fry can be stocked at 30 jin. Purchasing 1 jin of loach fry costs 9-10 yuan. Calculating loach fry at 10 yuan: 30 jin × 10 yuan/jin = 300 yuan. Feed is prepared by oneself: each jin of loach weight gain consumes 1.1 yuan in rearing cost. After 4 months of rearing, calculated at 4 times, the rearing cost is 4.4 yuan, and the feed cost is 396 yuan. Drugs cost 15 yuan. The total investment in one 10-sq-m cement pond is 1100 yuan, and it can produce 120 jin of loach. In just 4 months, the output value is 1440 yuan. Annual net profit: (1440 yuan (output value) - 300 yuan (fry) - 396 yuan (rearing cost) - 15 yuan (drugs) = 729 yuan net profit). Each mu can build 50 ponds of 10 sq m, and the annual loach output per mu can reach 6000 jin. At 12 yuan per jin, the output value is 72000 yuan. After subtracting costs, the profit per mu is more than 36000 yuan.