Comparative performance of khaki campbell and desi ducks

Abstract

A trial was conducted to evaluate the comparative performance of Khaki Campbell ducks and desi (local) ducks. Khaki Campbell ducklings required for the experiment were bought from the Government Duck Farm, Niranam, at day-old and reared in to four groups on deep litter up to 18 weeks of age. Initial body weight and body weight at weekly intervals of all the ducklings were recorded. The average daily feed consumption from first to 18 weeks of age were also noted.

After 18 weeks of age,96 numbers of good ducks were selected and divided at random and housed in eight different pens in semi-intensive system. Body weights and feed consumption were recorded at 28 day period intervals. Trap nests were provided for all individual birds. All the ducks were put in to the trap nest box in the evening of the day at about 4.30 pm and releasing them the next day morning after verifying for eggs inside the trap nest. The age at first egg of all individual ducks, the weight of first egg, age at 10 per cent production, age at 50 per cent production, total egg production upto 280 days of age, feed efficiency and livability per cent of the flock were calculated and recorded.

The same procedure was repeated using desi ducklings hatched out at the University Duck Farm. The desi ducklings were reared as straight-run as they were not sexed at day-old into four groups of litter upto 18 weeks of age and at 18th week 96 females were selected and distributed at random in to five pens in semi-intensive system at the rate of 19 ducks in four pens and 20 ducks in the fifth one. All the ducks of the two genetic groups were managed under identical conditions.

At the end of the trial the egg quality studies were also carried out using one hundred eggs from each group.

The overall performance of both Khaki Campbell and desi ducks in respect of the different parameters studied is presented in table.

The first egg among the flock of Khaki Campbell was obtained at 163 days of age and that of desi ducks laid at 134 days of age. The average age of the above two flock at first egg was 188 and 158 days. The age at 10 per cent and 50 per cent production recorded was 174 and 187 days in Khaki Campbell and 146 and 155 days respectively in desi ducks. The average egg production upto 280 days of age was 60.16 and 51.06 for two groups in the same order. The egg weight averaged 62.41g 71.4g for Khaki Campbell and desi ducks. The feed efficiency for the above two genetic groups in terms of the number of eggs produced was 5.21 and 10.40.

Though the size of Khaki Campbell duck eggs was smaller than desi duck eggs, the other quality factors were almost similar.

The study has thrown some light on the fact that the locally available germplasm can be improved by through continued research and better feeding and management practices. This will help to attain better production from desi stock in terms of egg number and better size of eggs.