1. Forty-six flocks of commercially-reared Pekin ducks were studied in 23 houses differing in their ventilation and brooding systems, and water and feed resources, in order to identify factors affecting duck welfare in commercial practice. 2. A wide range of environmental variables were measured, together with the physical and plumage condition of the ducks at two ages, whilst companies supplie...

BACKGROUND Wild waterfowl are considered as the natural reservoir for avian influenza (AI) viruses. Bangladesh has been experiencing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks since 2007, mostly in chickens and occasionally in ducks. Ducks play an important role in the persistence and genetic recombination of AI viruses. This paper presents the results of serological and virological mon...

There have been recent calls to develop protocols that collect unambiguous measures of behaviour using automatic techniques in conditioning experiments on magnetic orientation. Here, we describe an automated technique for recording the behaviour of Pekin ducks in a conditioning test that allows them to express unrestricted searching behaviour. Pekin ducks were trained to find hidden food in one...

This study aims to determine the effects of local duck mating patterns (Tegal and Magelang) on production performance based feed consumption, conversion (FCR), egg (DDP). The research used 80 Magelang Tegal ducks. is an experimental with a completely randomized design (CRD). 4 treatments 5 replications. number ducks in each cross consisted (five) males 15 (fifteen) females. P1 crossed (MM), P2 ...

In Egypt, ducks kept for commercial purposes constitute the second highest poultry population, at 150 million ducks/year. Hence, ducks play an important role in the introduction and transmission of avian influenza (AI) in the Egyptian poultry population. Attempts to control outbreaks include the use of vaccines, which have varying levels of efficacy and failure. To date, the effects of vaccine ...

A total of 60 male mule ducks and 60 male Muscovy ducks were allotted into three groups (n = 20) to estimate the effects of overfeeding (two and four meals) versus ad libitum feeding on productive performance traits, foie gras production, internal organs, and blood parameters. The results show that force-feeding four meals significantly increased (P < 0.01) body weight, weight gain, and gain pe...

Sophora japonica L. of 10-20 m tall is a popular ornamental tree in Europe, North America and South Africa, grown for its white flowers, borne in late summer after most other flowering trees have long finished flowering. Phellodendron amurense Ruprecht commonly called the Amur cork tree is a major source of huáng bò used in traditional Chinese medicine as a painkiller. In this study, staining p...