PhD

A basic study was conducted to characterise the two
distinct indigenous types of ducks, namely Chara and Chemballi
of Kerala and to evaluate their production potential. Five
hundred sexed day-old female and 100 male ducklings each from
Chara and Chemballi type were brought from M/s Susan Roy
Hatchery of Chennithala. The ducklings were reared on deep
litter system of management under identical conditions till 8
weeks of age. Thereafter they were switched over to semi-
intensive system. The ducklings were wing banded and weighed
individually at day-old, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 30, 40 and 52 weeks
of age.
After 18 weeks of age, 300 females and 30 males from each
type were selected for further studies. The females from each
type were divided into three groups of 100 birds each. At 18
weeks of age, ducklings were wing badged and provided with
individual laying nests to facilitate recording of individual
performance. Drakes of each type were maintained separately
to study the external morphology and growth traits. At 20
weeks of age, individual body measurements and plumage colour
patterns of different body parts of both Chara and Chemballi
were recorded. The age at first egg (AFE) of all individual
ducks, the weight of first egg, egg weight at 30, 40 and 50
weeks of age, shape index and shell colour of eggs, age at 5,


10 and 50 per cent egg production, total egg production upto
52 weeks of age, per cent duck-day and duck-housed egg
production at eight 28-day laying periods and at weekly mean
basis of the flocks were calculated and recorded.
MOrphologically, Chara and Chemballi drakes were squat in
posture and gait and they differed in the colour of plumage of
the head region. It was lustrous greenish black in Chara and
dull greenish black in Chemballi. The Chara females were
usually blackish brown in the back, tail and wing. The
Chemballi females in general were brownish black and brownish
grey in the back, tail and wings.
The average body weights and growth pattern of Chara and
Chemballi males were almost similar upto 52 weeks of age,
whereas the Chara females tended to be heavier in body weights
at all ages except 4 and 12 weeks. Significantly higher body
weights at day-old and 20 weeks of age was recorded in Chara
females over the Chemballi.
The average age at first egg (AFE) in Chara and Chemballi
was 148.59 and 147.50 days respectively. The ages at 5, 10
and 50 per cent egg production were 144, 153 and 187 days in
Chara, while those in Chemballi were 141, 148 and 184 day
respectively. The average egg number per duck upto 50 weeks
of age was 116.09 in Chara and 124.95 in Chemballi. The
corresponding mean per cent duck-day production in Chara and
Chemballi was 44.49 and 48.68 respectively. The mean per cent

duck-housed egg production to 50 weeks of age in Chara and
Chemballi was 41.78 and 42.91 respectively. The mean weekly
per cent egg production of Chara and Chemballi upto 52 weeks
of age widely fluctuated from week to week. It was also found
that during the production period upto 52 weeks of age there
were two peaks in per cent egg production in both Chara and
Chemballi type. The overall mean egg weight of Chara
(69.69 g) was significantly (P<0. 05) higher than that of
Chemballi (68.08 g). In the laying periods of Chara and
Chemballi there were no discernible clutch size/pause.
Broodiness as a trait was almost absent in both the types.
At the end of 52 weeks of age, 150 serum samples each
from Chara and Chemballi were examined for polymorphism of
non-enzymic protein components by horizontal polyacrylamide
gel electrophoresis. No transferrin polymorphism was present
in Chara, all birds were of type BB only. In Chemballi, two
clear phenotypes BB and AB were found. In respect of post-
transferrin-2 and albumin polymorphism two Ptf-2 phenotypes
(AA and BB) and three Alb phenotypes (AA, BB and AB) were
found in both Chara and Chemballi. Correlation of the above
biochemical variants with production traits indicated highly
significant (P<0.0l) association between albumin phenotypes
and egg production, egg weight and body weight. The
homozygous AlbAA phenotypes proved to be superior in egg
production in both Chara and Chemballi. The heterozygous AlbAB

phenotypes were inferior for all the above three production
traits.
Based on the above findings it was concluded that Chara
and Chemballi were two distinct phenotypic types in respect of
plumage colour. The males of both Chara and Chemballi did not
differ significantly in body weights, whereas the Chara
females tended to be heavier at all ages except 4 and 12
weeks. Significantly higher (P<0.0l) body weights at day-old
and 20 weeks of age were recorded in Chara females. The
average age at first egg in Chara and Chemballi did not differ
significantly. The Chemballi was significantly superior in
egg production to 50 weeks of age, whereas Chara was
significantly superior in egg weight at 40 and 50 weeks of
age. No transferrin polymorphism was found in blood serum of
Chara ducks. Three serum albumin phenotypes namely AA, BB and
AB were observed in both Chara and Chemballi, out of which the
homozygous AlbAA phenotypes were significantly superior in egg
production in both the types of ducks.
From the results obtained in this study it appears that
the genetic distance between Chara and Chemballi types is very
short indicating thereby that there has been inter breeding
between these two types among the farmers' flocks and that
farmers do not practice any strict regimen of mating among the
two types. Nonetheless, there appears to be distinct
phenotypic variation in respect of plumage pat tern.


Like-wise, there is also distinct advantage for Chemballi in
so far as production traits are concerned. The duck farmers
in Kerala have a preference for desi ducks over exotic ducks.
Considering all these, there is scope for taking up further
research and development using Chara and Chemballi ducks. The
information on biochemical protein polymorphism obtained in
this study will be helpful as an additional tool in future
selection programmes of these types of ducks.