Muscovy duck breeding technology and management?

Muscovy duck, also known as musk duck, red- billed goose, etc., can be raised in water, on land, artificially and on pastures, and is very easy to manage. So what are the specific Muscovy duck breeding techniques and management? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Temperature of ducklings

Generally, ducklings are from hatching to 3 weeks old. Brooding is the key. Generally, artificial heating or self-heating is adopted. The environmental temperature is required to be 27℃ at 1 week old, 24℃ at 2 weeks old, 22℃ at 3 weeks old, 20℃ at 4 weeks old, and 18℃-20℃ at 5 weeks old. The specific temperature should be adjusted according to the behavior and distribution of the ducklings.

2. Drink water before eating

Hatched ducklings should drink water before eating, and the time should not exceed 18-24 hours. First, use 0.1% potassium permanganate water or chloramphenicol water for drinking for 1-2 days, and then add appropriate amount of speed tonic and fluphenazine or doxycycline and other drugs in the drinking water.

3. Filling light for ducklings

Whether the young Muscovy ducks are raised on the ground or on the net, they should be padded with straw or burlap, and the straw and burlap should be replaced frequently. The duck house should have sufficient light, with artificial light at night and full natural light after 4 weeks of age.

4. Feeding ducklings

The feeding time should not be too short, and a deeper feed trough can be used for feeding. The general feed formula for 1-3 week old Muscovy ducklings is: 40% corn, 20% No. 4 flour, 5% bran, 10% fine bran, 17% soybean cake, 6% fish meal, and appropriate amounts of minerals and vitamins.

5. Clean the duck house

Clean the duck house every day, remove feces, clean the food and water containers, and make sure the water and feed are fresh. Regularly inject duck plague vaccine to prevent and treat soft foot disease in time.

6. Management of young Muscovy ducks

Generally, ducklings are 4 to 7 weeks old. During this stage, ducks grow the fastest and their appetite increases greatly. They especially like to eat animal feed, and the feed they are given can be reduced in refinement and coarseness. The general feed formula is: 50% corn, 14% No. 4 flour, 7% bran, 10% fine bran, 14% soybean cake, 4% fish meal, and appropriate amounts of minerals and vitamins.

Most professional households raise ducks in captivity, but some also use grazing with supplementary feed. Even if they raise ducks in captivity, there are usually rivers or ponds near the duck houses for the ducks to play in the water. Since Muscovy ducks do not molt and are particularly afraid of heat, attention should be paid to ventilation and cooling of the duck house in summer and autumn.

7. Management during the fattening period

Generally, fattening starts at 50 to 60 days of age, with a fattening period of 20 to 30 days. The pigs are sold when subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat deposits are formed. During this period, appropriately increasing the proportion of energy feed and maintaining a quiet, dry and clean environment will promote the fattening of ducks and keep their feathers neat, which is conducive to sales.

At this time, you can also let the ducks roam free, which not only increases their free time, but also allows them to find food on their own in the wild, supplementing the food they lack and allowing them to grow better. It is best to choose a place with lush aquatic plants for free-range Muscovy ducks, so that the ducks can also eat some grass and the like. Making full use of this free-range stage can allow the ducks to gain weight quickly.

8. Keep warm in winter

In winter and spring, pay attention to keeping warm and maintain the temperature by increasing the stocking density, shortening the outdoor grazing time, closing doors and windows, etc. In summer, prevent heatstroke and cool down through sunshade and ventilation. Pay attention to the ventilation and disinfection of the duck house, keep the environment quiet and prevent stress.

That’s it