Key measures to master for raising meat ducks in summer

1. Adjusting feed nutrition and feeding methods

1. Adjust the feed formula. The feed intake of ducks decreases as the ambient temperature rises, so the feed concentration should be appropriately increased to ensure the duck's daily nutrient intake.

(1) Replace part of the carbohydrates with fat. This not only helps increase the energy of the diet and compensates for the reduced energy intake caused by decreased feed intake, but also effectively alleviates heat stress. (2) Control the protein level. In order to reduce the body heat load caused by reduced protein in meat ducks and improve protein utilization, essential amino acids should be added according to the amino acid surplus or deficiency in the diet to ensure a balanced supply of amino acids. (3) Increase the content of minerals and vitamins. Supplementing potassium and sodium in the diet or drinking water and adding carbonate to drinking water both help maintain electrolyte balance. In addition, supplementing 0.1%-0.5% sodium bicarbonate in the feed can effectively alleviate heat stress reactions. High temperatures reduce the duck body's ability to synthesize vitamin C, so 50-200 mg of vitamin C should be added per kg of feed.

2. Add anti-stress drugs. Treat the physiological changes shown by ducks under high temperatures with targeted medication, such as using salicylic acid and aspirin to lower the duck's body temperature, and using Chinese herbal preparations such as ageratum, eleutherococcus senticosus, and mint to increase immunity, remove dampness, and aid digestion, thereby achieving an anti-stress effect.

3. Keep feed fresh. Reduce the amount of feed purchased from the feed mill each time, preferably using it up within about 1 week, to ensure the feed is fresh. When feeding, give less at a time and add more frequently; especially when using wet-mixed mash feed, feed less and add more frequently.

4. Adjust the feeding time. In the morning, feeding can start 1-2 hours earlier, at 4-5 a.m., and in the evening the feeding time should also be appropriately extended. This can avoid the impact of high temperatures on feed intake.

2. Control environmental conditions and prevent heat stress

1. Reduce solar radiation heat. Sunshades should be set up on the water and land exercise yards of open-style duck houses, and the roof should be thickened with covering layers. During high-temperature periods, water can be sprinkled on the roof or sprayed as mist inside the house, and greening work should be done well.

2. Speed up heat dissipation from the ducks' bodies. Ensure the duck house is open on all sides and increase ventilation. Give the ducks clean tap water or cold water, use ventilation equipment to strengthen ventilation, and ensure air flow. Ventilation should also be strengthened at night so that the ducks can recover their strength at night and alleviate the effects of the daytime heat.

3. Reduce stocking density. Reducing the number of ducks raised in the house and increasing the number of water and feed troughs in the duck house can reduce total heat production due to fewer ducks, while also avoiding individual heat production increases caused by competition for food and crowding due to insufficient feed or water troughs.

4. Keep the duck house clean and dry. Adopt reasonable rearing and drinking-feeding methods, reduce the water content in manure, and prevent the harm caused by high humidity inside the house under high temperatures: (1) Increase the frequency of cleaning the duck house and shorten the time duck manure remains inside the house. (2) Place water troughs as much as possible around the perimeter of the duck house to prevent meat ducks from splashing water into the house when drinking. (3) For duck houses with water and land exercise yards, a sunshade should be set up on the land exercise yard so that after the ducks finish playing in the water and come ashore, they can rest longer on the land exercise yard and enter the duck house after their feathers dry, reducing opportunities for excretion inside the house.

3. Carry out epidemic prevention and disease elimination properly

1. Strengthen disease prevention and control. Do immunization and disease treatment work in a timely manner; pay attention to the flock's feed intake, drinking water intake, and manure conditions, and take timely measures once abnormalities are found.

2. Change the rearing method. Change thick litter floor rearing to flat rearing on wire netting, completely preventing meat ducks from contacting manure, in order to reduce opportunities for disease transmission and lower the incidence rate.

3. Reduce interference with the duck flock. Avoid disturbing the duck flock, reduce the ducks' activity to the minimum, and reduce the increase in duck body heat.

4. Do routine disinfection work well. Improve the disinfection system, prevent a decline in resistance caused by invasion of harmful microorganisms, prevent the breeding of flies and mosquitoes, protect ducks from pest interference, and enhance the flock's anti-stress ability.