Production benefits of the crossbreeding of indigenous and non-indigenous ducks—growing and laying period body weight and production performance

Abstract

To evaluate different crosses and purebreds ducks in respect to various economic traits and to estimate different crossbreeding genetic parameters, a 3 x 3 complete diallel cross involving indigenous duck (DD), Khaki Campbell (KK) and White Pekin (WW) were used to produce three purebreds (DD, KK, WW) three crossbreds (DK, DW, KW) and three reciprocals (KD, WD, WK). A total of 609 ducklings produced were reared on deep litter and the females (316 in number) were evaluated for growing and laying period body weight along with the production performance traits. Different crossbreeding genetic parameters were estimated for different traits. All the traits in respect to body weight gain during growing and laying period and different production traits including laying house mortality rate showed significant (p <or= 0.05) difference between different genetic groups. In general, crossbreds perform better than the purebreds for most of the traits studied. General combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA) and reciprocal effect (RE) were significant (p <or= 0.01) for body weight and production traits. Egg weight showed significant (p <or= 0.01) difference in respect to GCA, SCA and RE for all the ages of measurement except RE for 30th week egg weight. Laying period mortality rate was only significant (p <or= 0.05) for SCA. Most of the crossbreds recorded heterosis rate in desirable direction for majority of the traits. Overall results revealed that the crossbreds perform well in respect to different traits than the purebreds and may be used to take advantage of heterosis. DW performs well in respect to majority of the traits measured and is of importance for commercial exploitation. Further, pure line selection with development of specialised sire and dam line followed by crossing may be of importance to enhance the performances in the crosses.

Genetic analysis of juvenile growth and carcass traits in a full diallel mating in selected colored broiler lines

“…The increased performance of crossbreds due to the exploitation of heterosis is well established in poultry and other avian species (Saadey et al 2008;Padhi 2010;Shit et al 2010). The advantageous effects of Na and dw gene under tropical and humid agro-climatic regions were discussed by many authors (Gowe and Fairfull 2008;Reddy et al 2008;Rajkumar et al 2010b).…”

Evaluation of indigenous ducks of Odisha, India

“…For the production period 21 to 60 weeks of age, the FCR (kg/dozen egg) and FCR (kg/kg egg mass) were 4.15and 5.28, respectively (Padhi, 2010). For the production period 21 to 60 weeks of age, the FCR (kg/dozen egg) and FCR (kg/kg egg mass) were 4.15and 5.28, respectively (Padhi, 2010).…”

“…Table 1 shows the growth performance parameters of indigenous ducks (Batak) and indigenous Muscovy ducks (Moti). The decrease in body weight during the middle of the laying cycle may be due to higher egg production during that period (Padhi et al, 2009d;Padhi, 2010;Padhi and Sahoo, 2011). During the growing period (eight to 16 weeks) gain in body weight at two week intervals varies from 50 to 150 g (Padhi et al, 2009d).…”

“…Mortality from 0 to 8 week in pooled sexes was 7.65%, whereas from 8 to 20 and 20 to 72 weeks of age it was 1.37 and 13.19%, respectively, and from 21 to 60 weeks was 18% (Padhi, 2010). Mortality in the second cycle of production from 72 to 124 weeks of age was 8.06% (Padhi and Sahoo, 2011).…”

Correlation and path coefficient analysis of body weight and morphometric traits of two exotic genetic groups of ducks in Nigeria

“…These exotic ducks can be improved by exploiting the principle of phenotypic plasticity (Auld et al 2010) to obtain better strains (Kokoszyński and Bernacki 2010) to complement the local Muscovy ducks and can also be used to upgrade some other indigenous ducks for better performance in a systematic breeding program. Padhi (2010) reported that crossbreds perform well in respect to different traits than the purebred ducks and may be used to take advantage of heterosis. The present findings are consistent with the report of Gois et al (2012) where male body weight and body measurements were found to be higher than those of females showing dimorphism in the domestic duck of Brazil.…”