Feeds and Feeding of Ducks in India-An Overview

Abstract

The role of livestock & poultry in nutritional & livelihood security and doubling farmers’ income is highly important. In India, among alternate poultry species, the contributions of ducks for egg and meat production are next to chicken. The important available ducks are few exotic breeds and locally available indigenous breeds. Generally, ducks are reared under extensive or semi-intensive or intensive rearing systems. Based on different rearing systems, the feeds of ducks are more diversified. The literature available on nutrient requirements for different types of ducks and nutrient contents of different feeds in different rearing systems is very meagre. To minimize the cost of production, many locally available low cost feed ingredients or alternate or unconventional feed ingredients like broken rice, azolla, tuber crops (cassava), different insects, earthworm, etc are used for feeding of ducks. Feed additives like ginger and vitamin (Vitamin-C and E) and mineral (Zn and Se) are highly beneficial, when supplemented in duck diets. The feed intake and nutrients metabolisability varies according to the types of ducks, physiological conditions and rearing systems. The important issues with duck feeding are monitoring of feeding, wastage of feed, wetter faeces, Aflatoxins, energy density of the diet, use of fishmeal, fishy flavour of egg, etc. There are many challenges with respect to feeds and feeding of ducks in India. The research carried out on ducks is very limited and more attention should be given on various aspects of duck research. In the scenario of climate change, various nutritional interventions have important role for sustainable duck production by which employment generation and in turn improving its contribution towards nutritional & livelihood security of the farmers of the country.