Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate how ducks age (Dumyati strain) could affect on some productive traits, egg quality and performance of their offspring. Egg number, egg weight egg mass, Egg production % ,feed consumption and feed conversion to egg was investigated during three periods at (24-32)wk ,(32-40) wk and (40-48) wk. While 30 eggs were collected for determination egg quality at 4 different ages (24 ,32 ,40,48) wk old including (egg weight, egg shape index % (ESI) , shell % and thickness , albumin % ,Haugh unit (HU ) ,yolk % , yolk index and yolk color and shell % and thickness, while a total of 2016 eggs were set in the incubator (504 egg /age ) at the same intervals to determine egg hatchability traits. After complete hatching, (30) duckling-one day old- from each age weighed (initial body weight) and raised for 10 wk old through this period body weight (BW) ,body weight gain (BWG) ,feed consumption (F.C) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded bi-weekly. The Results of this investigation revealed that, egg production % and egg number significantly decreased with age, while egg weight significantly increased .but egg mass and FCR during 3 different periods didn’t show any significant difference. Some egg traits (egg weight, ESI%, yolk % and shell thickness) were significantly increased with advancing ducks age. However, albumin proportion significantly decreased as the productive season progress, but shell % didn’t show any significant difference between different ages. HU and yolk index show deterioration with age. Fertility % of eggs significantly increased with age advancing, While early mortality % was significantly higher at the begging of laying season (24 wk old), also total embryonic mortality% showed significant increase in eggs from young ducks breeder, however hatchability of total egg % didn’t show any significant difference. Ducklings weight at hatch showed a significant increase with age, but this did not reflect on final body weight or BWG, which significantly decreased with age. Older breeder (48) wk old showed the lowest F.C and 40 wk old breeders had the lowest FCR. No-doubt that age of ducks in this study had a clear effect on some productive traits, egg traits and somewhat performance of offspring. Although of that we can’t ignore environmental temperature changes with aging of ducks flock.
Highlights
Duck production plays vital roles in the economy of rural community in Egypt (Awad, 2013).They provide cash income and create employment opportunity for rural people (Khan et al, 1999)
While 30 eggs were collected for determination egg quality at 4 different ages (24,32,40,48) wk old including (egg weight, egg shape index % (ESI), shell % and thickness, albumin %,Haugh unit (HU ),yolk %, yolk index and yolk color and shell % and thickness, while a total of 2016 eggs were set in the incubator (504 egg /age ) at the same intervals to determine egg hatchability traits
The Results of this investigation revealed that, egg production % and egg number significantly decreased with age, while egg weight significantly increased .but egg mass and Feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 3 different periods didn't show any significant difference
Summary
Duck production plays vital roles in the economy of rural community in Egypt (Awad, 2013).They provide cash income and create employment opportunity for rural people (Khan et al, 1999). They can be raised cheaper than broiler especially when its market is well organized (Singh, 2001). There are several factors affecting ducks egg quality and hatchability traits, subsequently developing embryo and may be the performance of their young duckling, among these factors breeder age and its body weight that have considerable influence on both productive and reproductive traits (Gallo et al, 2005). This study was carried out on local Egyptian duck strain (Dumyati duck) to study this impact
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