Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of desi duck of Odisha

Abstract

The present study was conducted in five districts of Odisha to study the different duck rearing practices by using a questionnaire and to differentiate the characters of ducks. Ducks were raised under semi-intensive management system and mostly depend on scavenging for their nutritional needs. The ducks are raised both for meat and eggs. The annual average egg production per duck was very poor. The flock size is usually small and varies from 9 to 30. In both drake and duck body carriage was slightly upright and bill shape was horizontal. Prominent head colour in drake was greenish black (55.6%) and in duck was fawn-white mix (75.68%). In both drake and duck dominant neck and breast colour was white. Wing colour was brown/grey and white in drake and duck, respectively. Prominent bill colour was yellow and bean colour was black in both drake and duck. Dominant shank and eye colour in drake and duck was orange and grey respectively. Mean values for all the morphometrical measurement, i.e. body length, bill length, bill width, shank length, wing length, head length, neck length and head width was significantly higher in drake. The average body weight of drake and duck were 1.80±0.02 and 1.41±0.02 kg, respectively.