Performance study of White Pekin ducks in different stocking density in floor rearing system

S B MALLICK; G P MOHANTY; S K MISHRA; K BEHERA; S K DASH; K SETHY; P K PATI; L M MOHAPATRA

doi:10.56093/ijans.v88i5.79988

Authors

S B MALLICK PG Scholar, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India
G P MOHANTY Professor, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India
S K MISHRA Associate Professor, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India
K BEHERA Assistant Professor, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India
S K DASH Professor, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Department of LPT, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry
K SETHY Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Nutrition, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India
P K PATI Professor, Department of LPT, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry
L M MOHAPATRA Professor and Head, Department of Livestock Production and Management, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751 003 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v88i5.79988

Keywords:

Body weight gain, FCR, Litter moisture, Stocking density, White Pekin ducks

Abstract

To study the effect of different stocking density on the performance of White Pekin ducks, 144 unsexed day-old White Pekin ducklings were reared for 42 days and on 43^rd day, these duckings were distributed into four equal groups, each with three replicates in deep litter system of rearing. The floor space provided per ducking was G₁ : 1,350 cm², G₂ : 1,800 cm² , G₃ : 2,250 cm² and G₄ : 2,700 cm². The experiment continued from 7-10^th weeks of age. The parameters studied were body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (FCR), serum biochemical profile, carcass characteristics and litter moisture content. The 7^th and 8^th week body weight gain of all the treated groups did not differ significantly but higher body weight of ducks were recorded in G₃ and G₄ groups than that of G₁ and G₂ groups at 9^th and 10^th week of age. The cumulative (7-10 weeks) body weight gain and FCR of white Pekin ducks was higher in group G₃ and G₄ than that of G₁ and G₂ groups. Cumulative feed consumption of all the treated groups of ducks did not differ significantly. No significant difference was observed in the studied serum biochemical and carcass characteristics of the treated groups. The litter moisture content was lower in G₃ and G₄ than that of G₁ and G₂ groups in all the studied periods. From this, it may be concluded that the floor space of 1,350 cm² up to 8th week and 2,250 cm² at 9^th and 10^th weeks of age per Pekin duck is suitable with respect to production performance of birds.

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