Performance of cross-bred (White Pekin × Khaki Campbell) ducks under intensive system of rearing

Abstract

In the present investigation, the performance of a crossbred (White pekin × Khaki Campbell) duck of meat and egg variety produced through artificial insemination were studied under intensive system of management. A total of 157 day old ducklings were reared in the experimental duck farm with standard management practice of brooding, and growing with balanced feed and health management. However, at 16th wk of age, 30 female ducks were confined to individual cage to record their egg laying performances. The growth performance revealed the significant difference between male and female from 8th to 24th week of age. Most of the body measurement parameters found higher than that of Khaki Campbell and less than that of White Pekin ducks of similar age. The blood biochemistry estimates revealed no variation between male and female ducks except for albumin and calcium wherein the value is highly significant for females. The carcass quality estimates of 20th week male ducks were at par with their age. The average age of sexual maturity was recorded as 131.83±1.65 days and age at 50% egg production in the flock was 139 days. The duck day egg production per cent up to 45th week of age was 80.31±3.44 and it was also recorded that in 108 occasions, one duck laid more than one egg. The egg estimates study of the experimental duck eggs (100 nos) at 40 wks age revealed 62.31± 0.44 g egg weight and 92.378 ± 0.453 as Hague unit scale. The study revealed that the production and reproduction parameters of the cross-bred (WP × KC) ducks may meet the expectation of farmers to be benefitted through both meat and egg production.