Ducks of meat are very popular among our compatriots. They quickly gain weight and do not require special care. Therefore, they are often bred by novice farmers. In today's article, you will find a brief description of the most common breeds.
General characteristics
Ducks of meat breeds are characterized by relatively high fecundity, early maturity and relatively low egg production. They are characterized by large size and live weight. With proper feeding, they gain about three kilograms in the first two months of life. As a rule, such birds do not need specific care and independently find food on free pasture.
The meat of such ducks is very different from chicken. It has a darker shade and coarse fiber structure. It contains a high percentage of fat. The rich taste of this product is especially appreciated by gourmets. Therefore, it is widely used in cooking.
Musk duck breeding
These birds got their name due to the specific smell released from their subcutaneous glands. They are distinguished by a calm disposition and do not scream, like most of their relatives. Musk ducks are rather large short-legged birds with powerful wings, a short neck and a wide chest. Their body is covered with blue, white, brown, or black plumage.
Breeding musky ducks is a pretty lucrative activity. These unpretentious birds are notable for good health and very rarely get sick. They are not particularly demanding on feed quality and have high productivity. From spring to autumn, one female is able to breed two or three broods of fifteen ducklings. These birds do not tolerate cold, so they are transferred to a warm room for the winter. For their maintenance, you can not use cells and summer houses. They need to be settled in thoroughly well-lit houses that reliably protect from dampness and a sharp temperature drop.
Peking duck
These birds have a long history. They first appeared in China about three hundred years ago. The Beijing duck breed quickly gained popularity in its historical homeland, and then spread throughout Europe.
Such birds have a strong body with a wide chest and a large back. They are easily recognizable by a special convex forehead. On the large head of such ducks is a flat beak of bright orange color. The large body of these waterfowl is covered with white or cream plumage.
The Beijing duck breed has tasty nutritious meat with a relatively low content of fatty fibers. The birds themselves are quite hardy and picky. They are rapidly gaining weight and may be kept away from water. The main disadvantages of the representatives of this breed include the underdeveloped maternal instinct and inability to live in damp areas.
Moscow white
The first representatives of this breed appeared in the 40s of the last century. They were bred by crossing Peking ducks with Kembel drakes. Subsequently, these birds spread widely throughout Russia, the Baltic states, Ukraine and Belarus. Most often, small farms are engaged in their breeding.
The Moscow white duck has a wide chest, short legs, a long neck and a large oblong head with a light pink beak. The body of the bird is covered with pure white plumage without bright spots. The weight of an adult varies from three and a half to four kilograms. With good nutrition, 50-day-old ducklings grow to 2.5 kg.
Moscow White have a thin bone and juicy tender meat. They are distinguished by high performance and survival. Like many other ducks of meat breeds, they do not require special care and are not picky in everything regarding food. They have good immunity and easily tolerate cold.
Swedish blue ducks
These birds were bred in the 19th century. Subsequently, they spread widely outside their homeland. They are especially popular among German farmers. By analogy with other ducks of meat breeds, they are distinguished by good immunity and the ability to quickly adapt to any conditions.
These birds have a taut muscular torso covered with gray plumage, to which strong large wings lie. Under the body of the Swedish blue duck are short legs of a dirty orange hue with black spots. On a small oval head there is a direct yellowish beak with a green tint. The weight of an adult is from three to four kilograms.
In the diet of these unpretentious, but rather voracious birds, greens should prevail. Its absence negatively affects the quality of meat. In addition, Swedish blue ducks need a walk. In case of his absence, the birds begin to hurt and gain weight poorly.
Ukrainian gray
Representatives of this breed were bred by long-term selection. They have a strong constitution with a lean skeleton and well-developed muscles. The body of these birds is covered with light and dense plumage. On a small, slightly elongated dark brown head are shiny eyes and a strong beak of olive shade.
By analogy with many other ducks of meat breeds, they quickly gain weight. These unpretentious birds are able to winter in unheated rooms. As for nutrition, they Ukrainian gray ducks can eat grass, animal feed, vegetables and fruits. With particular pleasure, they eat various aquatic vegetation such as duckweed or algae.
Rouen ducks
These heavy birds were bred in Normandy. The progenitors of this breed of ducks, the description of which will be presented below, are considered to be tamed individuals that lived in the vicinity of Rouen. Over time, these birds spread throughout the European continent.
Juicy dark meat of Rouen ducks is distinguished by high palatability and a very delicate structure. Farmers should be more experienced in breeding these birds, as they require careful care.
Representatives of this breed have a massive body with a wide chest and a strong back. Their plumage is very similar to the color of wild ducks. Beige stripes are located on both sides of the dark brown head. On the upper part of a long wide greenish-yellow beak, there are well-defined spots. Under the massive body of the duck are short thick legs. The average weight of an adult varies from three to four kilograms.
Ducks ailsbury
This is one of the oldest meat breeds. It was bred by English breeders in 1845. Ailsbury is distinguished by a horizontally set, dense body with a powerful, well-developed skeleton. On a large head is a relatively large pale orange beak and small lead-blue eyes. The impressive massive body of these ducks is covered with pure white plumage. The average weight of an adult is from 3.3 to 4.5 kilograms.
To breed these birds you need to have a small plot of land located on a slope. For year-round cultivation of ducks of this breed, it is recommended to equip a capital warm room with a concrete floor. Young growth should preferably be kept in a closed house on a deep litter. In addition, these ducks need to provide access to the reservoir.
Bashkir color
The ancestors of this breed are ordinary Peking ducks. They have a densely knocked down massive body, under which are widely spaced thick legs. The body of these birds is covered with feathery feathers. The weight of an adult can reach three or four kilograms.
The main advantages of the Bashkir colored duck include stress resistance, the ability to withstand low temperatures, high immunity and rapid growth. The most important shortcomings of representatives of this breed should be classified as a tendency to obesity, gluttony and excessive loudness.
Content Features
To grow ducks at home, you need to equip a separate room. Boardwalks of the house should be upholstered with plywood, cardboard and whitewashed. Log construction needs to be plastered and caulked. Walls finished in this way will keep cool in the heat, and will keep warm in the cold.
To prevent rats and mice from getting into the ducks, the floor of the house is twenty centimeters above the ground. Top it is covered with a peat layer, wood shavings or dry straw. The duck breeding complex should maintain a comfortable temperature. In addition, it must be provided with good ventilation and lighting.
Power Features
To make a good meat-breed duck from a chick, you need to properly feed it. Immediately after birth, they are given finely chopped boiled eggs and crushed oatmeal. On the second day, cottage cheese is introduced into the diet of the chicks, and another five days later - chopped fresh herbs.
Two-week-old ducklings may well consume mixes of potatoes and other root crops. During the first few days, the chicks are fed six to eight times. Starting from the tenth day, the kids are transferred to five meals a day. Adults are fed only in the morning and evening.
Having dealt with the regime, you need to say a few words about how to feed the ducks. In the mornings, they are advised to give a crusher, and in the evening - mixers. They can be prepared from aquatic vegetation, vegetables, root crops and fresh grass. Since these birds are unpretentious in everything related to food, they are often fed with waste from the master's table. Many experienced farmers are advised to add whey, fish and meat flour to the menu.
Those who are trying to understand how to feed the ducks grown for meat, do not hurt to remember that the basis of their diet should be cereals. A couple of weeks before slaughter, products containing an increased amount of protein are added to the birds menu. It can be bean or cottage cheese. During the fattening period, it is desirable to limit the ducks in movement.
Useful Tips
Many experienced specialists recommend taking ducklings from their mother immediately after they are born. In this case, you can immediately start fattening them for meat. It is important to remember that babies are very susceptible to temperature fluctuations and drafts. During this period, they can not be released into the reservoir, and it is advisable to add any vitamin-mineral complex to their diet.
Ducks that are grown for meat need a certain space. Three birds must have at least one square meter of barn area. Since ducks of meat breeds also carry eggs, they need to equip spacious nests. They can be built from ordinary wooden crates lined with clean straw.
You can grow birds for meat not only in the warm season, but also in winter. In the cold months, birds need to be fed three or four times a day. In the mornings, mash-ups are poured on them, and in the evening - grain.
To slaughter a duck for meat, you don’t have to wait all summer. It is advisable to do this before the first molt. The carcass of a sixty-day-old duckling has a more aesthetic appearance, since there are no so-called hemp on her skin. Early slaughter is also carried out for economic reasons. Birds under two months of age consume far less food.
Older ducks become gluttonous and rapidly accumulate fat. A five-month-old bird can eat about twenty-five kilograms of feed. Therefore, it is advisable to keep them for a long time only when you have a pond nearby, in which they will independently get their own food in the form of duckweed and various insects. Do not forget that the meat of large ducks is too fat and not so tasty.