Some Factors Affecting Meat Yield from Young Ducks

Abstract

White Pekin ducks were grown using standard management procedures. Ten ducklings were processed and frozen at each of the following ages: 28, 35, 41, 46, 48, 50, 53, 55, 57, 63 and 68 days. Necks and giblets were discarded. The percentage dressed duck, without neck and giblets, in breast meat, leg meat, total wing, and skin and fat was determined on all ducks. The percentage of breast meat increased from 4.79% to 15.93% for ducks 28 and 63 days of age, respectively. Leg meat decreased from 17.97% to 12.28% for the same ages of ducks. The percentage of skin and fat reached a minimum with 53 day old ducks. A second experiment was conducted with six age groups, six ducks each, from 28 to 51 days of age. Percentages of breast meat were almost identical in the two studies.Studies were also conducted to determine the effect of injecting a tripolyphosphate solution as 3% of body weight on yield of cooked duck meat. Injected birds yielded a higher percentage of meat and a lower percentage of skin. The skin of injected birds was crisper than skin of roasted controls.