Feeding behavior of three breeding duck genetic types during growth

International audience

إنجليزي. The aim of this study was to describe in detail the longitudinal growth and feedingtraits, that are key phenotypes for feed efficiency and force-feeding, in the threegenetically different types of ducks farmed for fatty liver production in France(Muscovy, Pekin, and mule ducks). Forty-one Muscovy, 35 Pekin, and 40 muleducks, all males, were reared with single-place electronic feeders to compare theirgrowth performances and feeding traits. Data were analyzed from 28 to 49 daysof age, after eliminating multiple-bird and unidentified visits (between 1 and 6%of data per genetic type). We studied the different traits at three time scales: forthe entire trial (covering 4 weeks), by week and by day. The effects of the genetictype (for the three time scales), the time scale and their interaction (for week andday scales only) were tested using linear mixed models with SAS software. At thetrial scale, the hybrid mule was characterized by a feeding behavior close to thatof Pekin ducks, and a production performance similar to Muscovy ducks. Like Pekinducks, mule ducks consumed two less per visit (26.8 g) than Muscovy ducks (P <0.0001), and their visits were six times shorter (73 s, P < 0.0001). Thus, theirfeeding rate was higher (22.6 g/min, P < 0.0001). The number of visits to thesingle-place electronic feeders was two times higher for Pekin and mule ducks (8.3and 9.0 visits, respectively) than for Muscovy ducks (P < 0.0001). The body weightof mule ducks, although superior from the body weight of Muscovy ducks at thebeginning of the test (1.69 kg vs. 1.42 kg, P = 0.0002), was found to be equivalentat 38 days of age (around 2.54 kg). At the week scale, feed intakes increasedbetween week 5 and 7 (in average + 266 g). Except for Muscovy ducks, the visitduration was relatively stable over weeks and the number of visits decreased withage, leading to an increase in the length of the intervals between visits. At the dayscale, all three genetic types of ducks fed mostly during the daytime, with morethan 90% of the feed consumed between 5:00 and 23:00. Further development isrequired to limit multiple-bird visits to the single-place electronic feeder inparticular with Muscovy ducks, and to enable data collection during the necessaryfeed restriction period before force-feeding for fatty liver production and duringthe mating period.