TY - BOOK AU - Mahanta J D AU - Ramkrishnan A (Guide) TI - Characterisation and evaluation of indigenous ducks of Kerala U1 - 636.5 PY - 1997/// CY - Mannuthy PB - Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and animal Sciences N2 - 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. UR - https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810143987 UR - https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/displaybitstream?handle=1/5810143987&fileid=411df2e3-d92b-46be-9eec-34e5d91edd12 ER -