Duck production must be based on an orthogonal breeding system. Orthogonal breeding involves using the Muscovy duck as the sire and a high-yield local breed as the dam. For a male parent, it should possess characteristics such as large size, fast growth, and superior meat quality. The Muscovy duck is well-suited for this role, while local breeds are preferred as dams due to their higher egg production. This combination not only ensures rapid growth and large body size in the offspring but also results in uniform body types between males and females, overcoming the problem of large males and small females often seen in backyard flocks.
Choosing the right parent combination is crucial. There are three main types of ducks: large, medium, and small. Large parent groups typically include crosses like French Cremo white ducks (CR) with Beijing ducks or Chinese white Muscovy ducks with Cherry Valley ducks. While these combinations produce large, fast-growing ducks, they have drawbacks such as large female sizes, high feed consumption, and low egg production, which increase costs.
Medium-sized parent groups include combinations like Chinese white Muscovy ducks with Beijing Pelican ducks, French Cremo ducks with Gaoyou ducks, or three-generation hybrids. Although some of these have lower egg production, the third option is more commonly used due to better performance. Small parent groups include crosses like Chinese white Muscovy ducks with Shaoxing or Putian ducks. Local breeds can also serve as dams, though they may result in slightly higher production costs due to lower egg output.
To improve fertility and gain a competitive edge, Beijing ducks can be crossed with Jinding, Shaoxing, or Putian hens, then mated with white Muscovy ducks. This approach improves egg production and produces medium-sized ducks with strong hybrid vigor, making it the most popular and effective method today.
The father should ideally be a large white-feathered Muscovy duck. These ducks come in various colors, including white, black, and speckled, and are categorized by size as large or medium. Large white-feathered Muscovy ducks, such as the French Cremo R51 or those selected by Fujian Agricultural University, are ideal for breeding. Their large size and fast growth contribute significantly to the quality of the offspring. Additionally, their white down feathers are highly valued, resulting in clean, bright carcasses that are favored globally.
Farmers must avoid using small or degraded local Muscovy ducks as sires, as this can negatively impact productivity and quality.
Artificial insemination is key to efficient breeding. Due to the distance between the two parent breeds, natural mating is difficult and has a low fertility rate. Artificial insemination greatly increases fertilization rates and reduces seed production costs. With natural mating, the male-to-female ratio is typically 1:4 to 1:5, but with artificial insemination, this can go up to 1:20 or more, increasing efficiency by over four times. Fertility rates with natural mating are around 30%, but with artificial methods, they can reach 75% or even 85% if the ducks are well-fed and the technician is skilled.
Finally, feeding strategies should be adapted to local conditions. Muscovy ducks and many local breeds can be used in crossbreeding. Farmers should select high-yield local varieties that are well-suited to their environment to ensure optimal performance and adaptability.
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Jiangxi Chengzhi Bioengineering Co., Ltd , https://www.chengzhi-bio.com