Growth, carcass parameters, biochemical and oxidative stress indices, and meat traits of duck breeds under different stocking densities

Abstract

This investigation was aimed to inspect if there is an influence of various stocking density on growth, carcass parameters, blood indices, and meat traits of Muscovy and Mallard ducks. One hundred twenty-six 1-day-old of each Muscovy and Mallard ducks were randomly allocated into three experimental groups with different stocking density. Group one (SD₁) was 5 ducks/m², while group 2 (SD₂) was 7 ducks/m² and group 3 (SD₃) was 9 ducks/m². The growth, carcass parameters, meat quality, blood indices were calculated. Body weight of SD₁ was 18 and 4.5% heavier than SD₂, while, it was 29.5 and 12% heavier than SD₃ of Muscovy and Mallard duck breeds, respectively. SD₃ possessed the highest levels of, H/L, ALT, AST, LDL, VLDL, and MDA with the lowest levels of lymphocyte, SOD,GSH, GPX, C3, total antioxidant capacity and IGG of both ducks' breeds. The carcass weight decreased by 40 and 15% from SD₁ to SD₃ in Muscovy and mallard ducks, respectively. The dressing % was highest at SD₁ (84 and 83%) when compared with SD₃(71and80%) of Muscovy and Mallard ducks, respectively. Cooking loss was 20 and 16% greater in group three when compared with group one in Muscovy and Mallard ducks, respectively. In conclusion ducks raised in low SD possessed the best performance with better welfare.

Keywords: Mallard duck; biochemical parameters; muscovy duck; performance; stocking density.