Important breeds and advantages of duck rearing
Introduction
In nature duck is a water bird. Man has domesticated the wild duck, and by selective breeding and are removing it from its natural habitat, has produced strains which he uses for both meat and egg production.
Duck constitutes about 10 per cent of the total poultry population, occupying second place to chicken in the production of table eggs in the country. Scientific duck raising was practically non existent in the country, except being tended to by the weaker and disorganized sections mostly in the Southern and Eastern coastal areas. North-eastern India and Jammu and Kashmir. Considering the greater scope for duck farming a an effective tool for the socioeconomic development of rural masses, to provide leadership in research and training in respect of duck, a Central Duck Breeding Farm was established at Hessarghata during the Fifth Five year Plan where a scientific breeding programme is being undertaken with imported Khaki Campbell ducks.
Advantages of Duck Rearing Over Poultry
Ducks do not require any elaborate housing and less attention than chicken as compare to poultry.
Ducks lay about 40-50 eggs more than chicken.
Duck eggs are 15-20 grams larger than chicken eggs.
Ducks are quit hardy, more easily brooded and are resistant to many avian diseases.
Duck rearing is economical as compared to chicken by virtue of their feeding habits of foraging.
Ducks have a profitable life as they also lay economically in second year, it reduces the cost of replacement.
Marshy river side and wet land are excellent quarter for duck farming where chicken or other types of livestock will not flourish.
Cannibalism and agnostic behaviour which is very common in chicken is not usually encountered with ducks.
Accurate data of egg laying can be recorded for breeding purposes without wastage of time and labour.
Because of comparatively more heavy, duck eggs provide more nutrients per egg than chicken egg.
Ducks are suitable for integrated farming systems, such as duck cum fish farming.
They are not so susceptible to disease and parasites in comparison to chickens.
After hatching it is simpler to sex ducklings than it is chickens.
The down and small body feathers of the ducks are valuable and used for different industrial purposes.
Ducks are good exterminators of potato beetles, grass hoppers, snails and slugs.
BREEDS OF DUCK
Generally there are three categories of breeds
- Egg-type
1. Khaki Campbell
2. Indian Runner
B) Meat-type
1. White Pekin
2. Muscovy
3. Aylesbury
C) Ornamental-type
1. Crested White
Egg-type ducks
Ducks normally begin to lay at about 6 months of age. Ducks of the improved laying breeds are for all practical purposes non-broody. For the purpose of fertilised egg, one drake for 5-6 ducks is normally allowed with slight increase in the number of drakes at the beginning and towards the end of the season, during which time the drakes are less active. Drakes should be placed with the ducks at least one month before fertile eggs are required.
Khaki Campbell
The breed has been developed from a cross of Fawn and white Runner, and Mallard ducks. Drucks have brownish-bronze lower backs, tail coverts, head and necks the rest of their plumage is khaki; they have green bills and dark-orange legs and toes. Ducks are of seal-brown heads and necks—the rest of their plumage is khaki; and they have greenish-black bills and brown legs and toes. The adult drake weights between 2.2 to 2.4 kg. While the female weighs between 2.0 to 2.2 kg and that of an egg is about 70 gms. Egg productions have average close to 300 eggs per duck within a laying year. Start egg laying 6 weeks earlier.
Indian Runner
There are 3 standard varieties of Runner ducks. Indian Runner is also layer having an average record of more than 250 eggs per annum and is second only to Khaki Campbell
- The Fawn and White Runner
- The White Runner
- The Pencilled Varaity
The breed is fawn or grey and white, with a white neck and a line of white running upto the eyes and extending around the bill. The back and shoulders are fawn, and the upper part of the breast and wings are fawn, but the lower part is white. The breast is full; the body is long and narrow, sloping gradually into the neck, and is carried erect, with no indication of a keel, the body resembling somewhat that of a penguin in shape. The shanks and toes are orange red. The bill of the young drake is yellow, later becoming greenish yellow, while a young duck has a yellow bill spotted with green, which later becomes a dull green.
It is pure white in all sections. The bill is yellow and the shanks and toes are orange.
The head of the male is a dull bronze-green and white and the back has a soft, fawn ground, finely stippled with a slightly darker shade of fawn; the body and the upper section of the breast are medium fawn and the tail is a dull bronze-green. The head of the female is a medium fawn and white, while the white markings in the plumage resemble those of the male. The coloured markings are a medium fawn throughout, with a light line of fawn colour running round the edge of each feather, the border being a darker shade..
Meat-type ducks
Though duck meat is widely accepted among the non-vegetarians but still it is not popular due to its non-availability. In comparison to hen, duck meat is slightly rich in fat (14.5 per cent) total energy (190 Kcal/100 gm). The protein content is very close to hen and averages to about 13 per cent. White Pekin is the most popular meat-type duck in the world. Muscovy and Aylesbury are the next best types.
A sort of broiler type of ducks are reared at Kolluru lake area of Andhra Pradesh; specially for meat. They are similar to broiler chicken but these are marketed at the age of about 6-8 months. The meat of such ducks is said to be more tasty besides, being more nutritive.
White Pekin
The breed originates from China. These are large white feathered birds. They have orange-yellow bills, reddish-yellow shanks and feet and yellow skin. Their eggs are tinted white, which is considered less important than its capability to produce excellent quality meat. Birds of its breed are by virtue of nervous temperament, bad sitters and thus should be treated gently.
Muscovy
It is more like a goose in more ways than one; for instance, it is a grazer and eats grasses in the same way as a goose. These are very strong and powerful in flight, yet very tame and friendly.
Unlike the drake of other breeds, the Muscovy male has no curl feathers in his tail. Unlike other females (ducks), the incubation period is 36 days; also the ducklings are not in first full feather until 16 weeks of age, whereas the ordinary duckling is in full feather at 12 weeks.
There are 2 standard varieties of Muscovy ducks, the white and the dark. The head and face of the Muscovy are partly bare, with red, rough, carunculated skin. It has a long, broad body, with greater breadth.
The white variety has pure white plumage, pale orange or yellow legs, and a pinkish, flesh coloured beak. The dark variety has got a lustrous blue black, broken with some white breast, body and back.
Muscovies are armed with very long and sharp claws and are quite capable of opening one’s wrist or hand unless it is firmly grasped by the wings.
Aylesbury
The plumages are white, legs are short but sturdy and orange in colour. Due to its light bone and high percentage of creamy white flesh, the breed is regarded as delux table bird. It also produces excellent meat and reaches market weight in 8 weeks. Eggs are tinted white.
