Monitoring the health and production of household Jinding ducks on Hatia Island of Bangladesh

Abstract

Duck rearing is an important component of sustainable living in poor rural communities, especially as a source of subsistence. A study was conducted on 118 households (N = 1,373 Jinding ducks, Anas platyrhynchus) from December 2002 to February 2004 on Hatia Island in Bangladesh with the aim of identifying the factors that limit the health and production of Jinding ducks. Overall duck mortality was 29.3%, with disease (19.7%) being a more significant factor than predation (9.6%; p = 0.001). Duck mortality also varied significantly among study zones (p < 0.001). Common diseases were duck plague (21.1%) and duck cholera (32.1%). Helminth infection was prevalent, with endemic trematode (Prosthogonimus spp., Trichobilharzia spp., Echinostoma spp.) and nematode (Cyathostoma bronchialis, Amidostomum anseris, Heterakis gallinarum, Capillaria spp., and Echinuria spp.) infections and epidemic cestode infections due to Hymenolepsis setigera. The median egg production rate per duck per household was 93 for a 6-month laying period. The odds of diminished egg production (average ≤ 93 eggs per duck per household for a 6-month laying period) was 25.4 times higher in ducks that were kept in traditional duck houses (p < 0.001) and 14.2 times higher in ducks that experienced delays in the onset of sexual maturity (days 191 and 280; p < 0.001). Ducks that were provided snails for a shorter period of time over the laying period were 18.2 times more likely to produce fewer eggs than their longer fed peers (p = 0.002). In conclusion, duck mortalities due to diseases and predation and parasitic infections appear to be common constraints on household duck production on Hatia Island. Additionally, improving duck housing and providing longer nutritional supplementation with snails increased the production capabilities of household-raised Jinding ducks on Hatia Island.

Factors limiting the health of semi-scavenging ducks in Bangladesh

“…According to the farmers' survey responses, the predominant predators were the civet cat Viverrricula indica, fox Vulpes bengalensis, crabeating mongoose Herpestes urva, Bengal lizard Varanus bengalensis and indigenous dog. These findings correspond to our earlier study on Hatia Island (Hoque et al 2010b). Unfortunately, mongoose attacks cannot be easily prevented unless the ducks are monitored whilst scavenging for feed, which is a time-consuming process that carries a relatively high cost, compared with the immediate benefits.…”

“…The mortality rate observed was similar to rates encountered in comparable studies in Bangladesh (Biswas et al 2006(Biswas et al , 2008Hoque 2006;Hoque et al 2006Hoque et al , 2010b and…”

“…However, given the monetary constraints placed upon studies in developing countries, this data collection method remains both useful and cost-effective. This is evidenced by similar studies looking at predation of household poultry in the regions (Hoque and Rahman 2004;Hoque et al 2010b;Biswas et al 2006Biswas et al , 2008. Stealing and either maliciously or accidental killing of ducks were not found to be as serious a cause of duck loss as predation and diseases; however, these factors remain a concern.…”

“…Rural duck rearing facilities are owned and managed by women and children and are an important means of reducing poverty for this demographic in resource-poor low-income areas (Pym et al 2002). The predominate limiting factors in poultry production are mortality, untimely sale (such as before laying eggs) and family consumption of ducks (Hoque and Rahman 2004;Biswas et al 2005Biswas et al , 2006Biswas et al , 2008Hoque 2006;Hoque et al 2006Hoque et al , 2010b.…”

Avian Schistosomes and Outbreaks of Cercarial Dermatitis

“…Rice fields are areas where snails, domestic and wild ducks, cattle, and humans seasonally use the water, so the life cycle is maintained consistently (5,84,(94)(95)(96)(97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102)(103)(104). Species of Trichobilharzia are identified most often, though not exclusively (5).…”