Growth, carcass traits and meat quality of different local ducks and Turkish Pekins (short communication)

Abstract. The purpose of the research was to study growth, carcass traits and meat quality of Kara, Yesilbas and Boz ducks (as the local names), in comparison with Turkish Pekin ducks in Isparta province, Turkey.

Average body weights of Kara, Yesilbas, Boz and Turkish Pekin ducks were 42.3, 44.5, 48.0 and 46.2g for day-old ducklings; 1036.5, 1154.5, 1115.3 and 1168.7g for 4 weeks old ducklings; 1660.7, 1824.7, 1894.0 and 1744.2g for 8-week old ducks; 1816.0, 1999.0, 2044.0 and 1885.5g for 12-week old ducks, respectively. Average percentages of slaughter yield were 71.5, 72.5, 73.7 and 71.3%. The percentages of breast and leg meat to the carcass were 34.34, 34.1, 33.8, 36.7%, respectively.

Average percentages of crude protein content for breast and leg meat were 20.2, 20.0, 20.3, 20.7% and 20.1, 19.4, 18.8, 19.4%, respectively. The content of crude fat for breast and leg meat were 10.3, 5.8, 8.3, 14.9% and 10.6, 6.4, 8.9, 15.1% respectively. Because of the lower fat percentage, the local duck breeds could be important for a commercial crossbred program.