Feeding and Management Methods and Technical Key Points for Muscovy Ducks
The farming scope of Muscovy ducks in China is not yet large, and it counts as a new type of farming project. Muscovy ducks are somewhat different from other duck breeds, as they require certain management methods at each growth stage. Although Muscovy duck farming has not yet expanded, many people still have ideas of large-scale farming, so how should we carry out feeding and management when farming Muscovy ducks? Let us take a look below!
1. Management of Ducklings
Ducklings have relatively high temperature requirements, and as their age in days increases, the temperature requirements also keep changing. Three days after hatching, the temperature should be controlled at around 29-31°C; at one week, lower the temperature to around 25°C; then by the third week, control it at around 20°C. The brooding house should be built on flat ground, and a relatively soft floor mat should be used, with the ducklings raised in groups. Because ducklings have the habit of sleeping in piles, at night someone should properly separate the piled-up ducklings to prevent some ducklings from being smothered. Feeding ducklings should follow the principle of small amounts and frequent feeding, maintain a continuous supply of drinking water, and also carry out vaccination and disease prevention measures for ducklings.
2. Management of Adult Muscovy Ducks
The physiological mechanisms of adult Muscovy ducks have gradually matured, and their body size is also getting larger, so we should appropriately adjust the raising density according to the body size of adult Muscovy ducks. When the Muscovy ducks reach 30 days of age, control the raising density at around 12 birds/sq m. At this time, Muscovy ducks also grow faster; especially when they grow to 60-90 days of age, this is when their growth capacity is strongest, and accordingly their nutritional needs also increase greatly. Therefore, in order to ensure normal and robust growth of Muscovy ducks, we must provide enough feed. At this stage, Muscovy ducks are also very prone to feather pecking; in order to reduce this phenomenon, we should appropriately add some sulfur amino acids to the feed to suppress feather pecking.
3. Management of Breeding Muscovy Ducks
Breeding Muscovy ducks are the key to ensuring that Muscovy duck farming remains continuously efficient. When the Muscovy ducks grow to around two and a half months, they can begin to be kept for breeding. When keeping breeding stock, pay attention to the number of males and females. Female Muscovy ducks are selected according to the specific condition of the head; the head should not be too large, and the neck should be slightly long. Male Muscovy ducks should be selected for large size, robustness, and feathers free of impurities. The feed for breeding Muscovy ducks should differ from that of others; breeding Muscovy ducks should be raised according to the methods used for laying ducks, and attention should be paid to supplementing elements such as calcium and phosphorus. Increase the feeding frequency, pay attention to the protein content of the feed, and improve the production of breeding ducks and the quality of eggs.
4. Disease Control
Although Muscovy ducks have relatively high disease resistance, disease control is also the most important management aspect throughout their entire life cycle. The more common diseases of Muscovy ducks include serositis and duck liver disease. When farming, we must ensure the duck house is clean and free of contamination. Clean up duck manure in time to prevent duck manure from fermenting in the duck house and producing various bacteria. Do a good job in epidemic prevention for the duck flock, and strengthen the management of the environment around the duck house. Do not feed expired or spoiled feed or unclean water, regularly disinfect the duck house, carefully observe the duck flock, and once any illness is found, be sure to isolate and treat it promptly. Muscovy ducks with severe illness and no treatment value should be dealt with immediately, either deeply buried or burned.
The above is a brief introduction to the feeding and management methods for farming Muscovy ducks. Although farming Muscovy ducks is relatively simple, it still requires everyone to manage them carefully. Only by doing the best in the feeding management of Muscovy ducks can you maximize your farming benefits. Alright, that is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.