Evaluating high and low nutrient density feed for finishing stages of muscovy broiler ducks.

Abstract

Since growing ducks are less efficient converters of feed than chickens, there could be economic advantage if duck feeds can be of lower nutrient density and cheaper than chicken feeds. Low nutrient density feeds are mainly formulated from cheaper feed resources. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of broiler Muscovy ducks during the finishing stage on a high nutrient density broiler chicken feed and a low density commercial feed formulated from locally available agro-industrial by-products such as copra meal and wheat mill-run for feeding rabbits. The results show that ducks on the high nutrient density feed have a higher weight gain than those on rabbit feed. However, costs per kilogram of liveweight gain show no significant difference between feeds. Break-even or threshold ratios at which low intensity feeds can be competitive with the high intensity feed were determined. The commercial rabbit feed proved as economic as broiler finisher but it will take a longer time for ducks to reach marketable weight. If a low nutrient density feed equivalent to the rabbit pellet can be developed to feed ducks during the finishing stage, the ratio of prices (commercial broiler finisher: low density feed) must be higher than the threshold of 1.72 for males and 1 67 for females to make it economical.