Duck Farming : Important aspects and complete management
Introduction
Duck farming occupies an important position in India. As per livestock census 2019, the duck population of India is 27.43 million constituting 8.52 percent of the total poultry population and contributes about 7-8% of the total egg produced in the country. Ducks lay more eggs (about 300) per bird per year than chicken and the weight is also greater than hen egg by about 18-20 g. Duck has higher red muscle fibre in the breast compared to chicken and is considered as red meat. Ducks have a profitable life from commercial point of view as they lay economically in about second year, so this reduces the cost of production. Ducks supplement their feed by eating fallen grains, snail, earthworms, insects, and small fishes. Ducks are hardy, easily brooded, and resistant to common avian diseases. It is more economical to raise ducks either for egg or meat purpose. Among the egg laying breeds Khaki Campbell and Indian runner are the best in India. Khaki Campbell hens can produce an egg a day which is white in colour and more than 300 eggs per year. White Pekin is the most popular duck for meat purpose. It is fast growing and has low feed consumption with fine quality meat. Duck’s feed conversion ratio is 1:2.3 to 2.7. Drake (male) weighs about 4 kg and duck weighs about 3.5 kg at maturity. Other meat type ducks are Aylesbury, Muscovy, Rouen, Cayuga, Buff and Swedish breeds. Ducks breeds like Crested White, Carolina, Grey calls, White Calls, and Black East Indies are also used for Ornamental purpose.
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Advantages of Duck rearing
- Ducks have longer egg-production life.
- Their eggs are heavier and fetch a better price.
- Their meat is also a delicacy and relished by the people.
- They kill snails, slugs and other crop pests.
- They are good foragers and are able to meet part of their feed requirements from the wild.
- Ducks have longer, economical laying period than chicken.
- They are hardy and more resistant to many avian diseases.
Common duck breeds: –
Learn MoreEgg type :
Khaki Campbell 2. Nageswari, 3. Indian Runner, 4. Chara Chemballi
Meat type :
Pekin, 2. Muscovy, 3. Ruel Kagua
(C) Housing of ducks: –
Ducks do not require elaborate houses. The house should be well ventilated, dry, and rodent-proof. Any type of brooder house may be used for brooding ducklings. The temperature under the brooder should be 30-35 °C for the first week and it should be reduced by 30 °C every 4-7 days till it reaches 24 °C during the fourth week. Duckling may be brooded in wire floor, litter or batteries. A continuous water channel is constructed inside the house. Duckling may be reared in intensive, semi-intensive, or range system. In range system, a flock of 1000 can be reared in one acre. According to season and weather conditions, artificial weather is necessary
Temperature: Set the incubator to run at 37.5°C. Maintain this temperature throughout incubation but reduce it by 0.2°C in the hatchers.
Humidity: – Set eggs at a relative humidity of 70% (a wet bulb reading of 33°C and a dry bulb reading of 37.5°C). Humidity may be allowed to fall to 65% but should be increased to 70% when hatching (chipping) begins.
Turning: -Eggs should be turned through an angle of 90°. Do not turn the egg after 25th day.
Candling: – Eggs are candled by shining an electric light through them so that their contents can be clearly seen, and embryonic development determined. Eggs may be tested for fertility on day 7.
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Disease management: –
Some of the common ailments among ducklings are coryza and the respiratory distress due to exposure to chill weather during heavy mist, besides duck plaque which causes high morbidity and mortality. During summer season, swelling of joints, gasping for breath, etc. are noticed. To treat the above diseases, the farmers use a decoction made of Poduthalai leaves (Lippianodiflora), roots of paragrass, Omum and Vasambu (Sweet flag; Acoruscalamus L). These materials are ground well, mixed in water and boiled. Vasambu, the underground stem of the aromatic marsh herb, is a medicine described in Ayurveda as having beneficial effect on the body as a stimulant tonic and antispasmodic. This keeps the living being always alert and active, provides resistance to diseases and gives more stamina. Other common ailments are Duck plague, Aspergillosis, Ornithosis and Duck cholera.
Ducks for biological control of pests: –
When ducklings/ducks are used in between the paddy plants in the rice field, they feed upon the larvae and insects of all the pests of rice like brown hopper, case worm, etc. This kind of control maintains the ecosystem intact without any chemical or pesticide pollution. The duck could be used as a scavenging bird utilizing large amounts of insects, thus having a two-fold benefit of improving feed utilization efficiency and reducing insect problems in the field.
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