Effect of quantitative feed restriction on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of male Peking ducks

Abstract

The effect of quantitative feed restriction on growth performance, carcass traits and  physical meat quality of male Peking ducks were studied from 2 to 12 weeks of age.  Quantitative feed restriction of 85% and 70% retarded (P < 0.01) body weight up to 10  weeks old thereafter ducklings were capable to compensate this retardation and realized  comparable body weight of the fullfed treatment. Cumulative feed conversion  deteriorated of feed intake increased from 70% to ad-lib. intake. Quantitative feed restriction had no influence on mortality rate. Ducklings fed ad-lib. had higher starved body weight and carcass weight than feed restricted treatments. At 1O weeks of age, dressing % remained relatively constant around 68% for all treatments, but at 12 weeks old, the full fed control treatment realized the best figure. Ducklings fed 70% had higher (P < 0.05) legs %, but lower wings % than those fed ad-lib, at 10 weeks of age. Neither valuable nor less valuable cuts % were affected by quantitative feed restriction. Breast % and the total breast and legs % increased, while legs % and the total of less  valuable cuts decreased with increasing slaughter age from 10 to 12 weeks.
Quantitative feed restriction had no adverse effect on physical meat quality. PH-value of breast decreased, while juice holding capacity increased with increasing age. Physical characters of thigh meat were not affected in relation to age. Thigh meat was darker and had higher pH-value and juice holdings capacity than breast meat. The actual feed intake under feed restriction was lower than assumed. Therefore feed restriction was higher than this indicated, being 76% and 64% during the whole growing period. From these results, it could be concluded that, quantitative feed restriction of 64% is recommended for male Peking ducks from 8 to 12 weeks of age, because cumulative feed conversion during this period is deteriorated, but the valuable cuts and meat quality improved with prolongation the growing period.