Morphometric measurements, productive and reproductive performance of Deshi black and Deshi white duck

At the Central Duck Breeding Farm Hajiganj in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, morphometrics, productive, and reproductive performances of Deshi black and Deshi white ducks were measured under intensive conditions. Body length, head length, bill length, neck length, feather length, and shank length of mature male and female Deshi black and Deshi white ducks measured 59.56 ± 0.87 cm and 61.87 ± 0.48 cm, 2.25 ± 0.12 cm, and 3.4 ± 0.06 cm, 5.86 ± 0.12 cm, and 6.23 ± 0.06 cm, 19.21 ± 0.47 cm and 21.08 ± 0.26 cm, 21.85 ± 0.53 cm and 26.71 ± 0.29 cm, 9.93 ± 0.29 cm and 10.81 ± 0.16 cm, respectively. Morphometric features were significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) higher in females than males. But no significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected between the two types of ducks except for the body, head, and feather length (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). At a day old, 4th week, 8th week, and 12th week of age, the body weights (LSMean ± SE) of male and female Deshi black and Deshi white ducks were 42.65 ± 0.35 gm and 43.40 ± 0.35 gm, 318.00 ± 9.13 gm and 319.04 ± 9.13 gm, 835.85 ± 8.94 gm and 794.20 ± 8.94 gm, 1345.80 ± 2.67 gm and 1347.90 ± 2.67 gm, respectively (gm = gram). Females were substantially heavier than males at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference in body weights between the two types of ducks (p > 0.05) until the 12th week of age (p < 0.01). Deshi black and Deshi white ducks reached sexual maturity at 136.0 ± 0.52 and 139.0 ± 0.52 days, respectively, and had 67.62 ± 0.83% and 63.18 ± 0.83%, 63.63 ± 0.56%, and 59.42 ± 0.56% fertility. Deshi black ducks had a substantially higher age at sexual maturity, fertility, and hatchability percentage (%) than Deshi white ducks (p < 0.01). For Deshi black and Deshi white, the egg weight, female weight at 1st lay, and egg weight at 1st lay were 66.69 ± 0.49 gm and 66.78 ± 0.49 gm, 1439.55 ± 6.98 gm and 1422.0 ± 6.98 gm, 48.90 ± 0.18 gm and 47.12 ± 0.18 gm, respectively. Deshi black duck egg weight was considerably (p < 0.01) higher than Deshi white duck egg weight at first lay. Deshi black and Deshi white ducks produced 214.65 and 211.402.65 eggs per year, respectively (p > 0.05). The study's findings gave some baseline information on Bangladesh's Deshi black and Deshi white ducks, which could benefit conservation and future enhancement efforts.