Evaluation on productive performance of pekin duck and rice (Anas platyrhinchos domesticus) under rice-duck-azolla farming method
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The rice-duck-Azolla integrated farming has mutual benefits, the duck is a natural grazer and scavenger they can eat a wide variety of growing weeds, insects, and snails while the rice provides a natural feed and habitat that can lower the reliance of farmers on expensive commercial feeds that contribute to 60%-70% in livestock raising .The study was conducted in the rice production area of the Cagayan State University-Gonzaga campus to evaluate the growth performance and feed consumption of Pekin duck under rice-duck-Azolla farming.A total of seventy-two (72) heads of 3 (three) week-old Pekin ducks have been distributed into Three (3) treatments and replicated three (3) times per treatment with a total of 8 Pekin ducks per replication.The statistical design used in the study is a complete randomized design (CRD).The result of the study based on the data gathered shows that T1, Pekin duck fed with pure commercial duck feeds and confined in space where no grazing area is provided have obtained the highest Average Daily Gain (ADG) of 56.00g gain in weight/day and FCR of (2.77).Treatment 1 grows the fastest due to the lesser space for movement of ducks and fully dependent on the commercial feeds given to them leading to less energy used and higher concentrate feed intake that causes them to have the highest volume of commercial feed consumed.Treatments 2 and 3 have consumed a lot of energy to graze in the rice field and are not dependent on pure commercial feeds.T2 and T3 have lower FCR because of the additional sources of feeds such as weeds, insects, worms, and snails that they have found in their range area which were not quantified as feed consumed but have provided additional/supplement to the commercial feeds given to them.Based on the result of a study conducted it was concluded that treatments 2 and 3 are the highly recommended methods in Pekin duck production because they decrease the dependence on duck in pure commercial feeds which lessens the volume of consumption and lowers the cost of production with competitive growth performance of duck which leads to the increase of income of raisers.
Author: Vincent Jim P. Palor
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4407867528