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Results of selection for breast muscle percentage and feed conversion ratio in Pekin ducks

Pingel H. (Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Germany)

Increasing breast muscle percentage by selection for breast layer thickness (muscle and skin) of living ducks by needle probe improves carcass quality as could be demonstrated by experiments and by applied breeding programs. In addition direct selection for individual feed conversion ratio can increase the efficiency of duck meat production. Divergent selection for feed conversion ratio from the age of 4 - 7 weeks over 11 generations has differentiated the feed efficiency by about 25 %. Causes for the reduction in feed conversion ratio are lower fat content of carcass, lower locomotor activity, higher enzymatic activity (alkaline phosphatase and creatinkinase in blood plasma) and better feed protein utilization. Because of lower feed consumption in the line selected for lower feed conversion ratio the emission of nitrogen and phosphorus via manure was reduced by about 39 and 26 %, respectively. That means, selection for better feed efficiency is not only an important economical but also an important ecological factor.

Keywords: duck meat, percentage of breast muscle, feed efficiency