What factors should be considered when selecting breeding meat ducks?
Factors to consider when selecting breeding meat ducks
The following factors should be considered when selecting breeding meat ducks: (1) body weight at 3 weeks and 7 weeks of age; (2) adult body weight; (3) feed-to-meat ratio of meat-type ducklings; (4) feather growth rate; (5) dressing percentage, half-eviscerated rate, and eviscerated rate; (6) breast muscle percentage and leg muscle percentage; (7) fat percentage; (8) age at first egg; (9) egg production; (10) fertility rate and hatchability of hatching eggs; (11) survival rate of ducklings at 7 weeks of age; (12) survival rate of breeding ducks during the laying period.