The largest breeds of ducks. Duck breeding

Based on their ability to increase body weight, egg production, and plumage quality, domestic ducks are divided into meat ducks, egg ducks, and those raised for feathers and down. Popular breeds of ducks for home breeding most often have a meat or meat-egg orientation. There are also intermediate varieties with good egg production and meat production. IN Lately Poultry farmers pay maximum attention in the morning to broilers - early ripening, with excellent lean meat and decent weight.

All existing breeds, breed lines and crosses are descendants of the common mallard, domesticated and refined in Europe and Asia, and musk ducks, whose homeland is the American continent. Despite the difference in location and natural habitat conditions, these species of ducks the best way have proven themselves when kept in conditions of large and very small farms.

A description of duck breeds, their wild and domesticated varieties, as well as promising crosses will help the poultry farmer navigate the diversity on offer and create a highly productive flock in his own backyard.

Muscovy ducks are native to Central and South America. Unlike European mallards, who cannot imagine life without water, “American mallards” are calm about the absence of a pond, river or lake nearby. They are calm, and when kept in a common poultry yard, their voice is heard extremely rarely. Because of this feature, the birds were nicknamed mute ducks. Since the birds imported from distant countries were not at all similar to the usual domestic ducks, Europeans began to look for features of other species in them. Obviously, the red growths on the heads of birds, especially noticeable in males, gave rise to another nickname for ducks - turkey ducks, by analogy with turkeys, to which waterfowl have no related relationship.

Muscovy ducks come in a variety of colors. Unlike ordinary poultry, they do not gain weight so quickly, but their meat is different low content fats, delicate consistency and excellent taste.

Purebred American males can grow up to 5 kg in weight, and females, which are almost twice as light, are well known as excellent brood hens.

Their meat qualities attracted the attention of breeders to them. Today, interspecific hybrids of musky and meat European ducks are very popular among poultry farmers.

Among duck breeds for home breeding, birds originally from the Middle Kingdom can be considered one of the most ancient. Peking duck became famous more than three centuries ago and has not lost its relevance to this day. Early maturing, with excellent meat quality, hardy and unpretentious birds are happily raised both on large farms and in private farmsteads, and are also the progenitors of many modern breed lines and hybrids of meat ducks. One of them is the today famous mulard, which not only holds the record for gaining live weight, but also produces a fatty, delicious liver.

Purebred representatives of the Peking breed are white ducks with a strong physique, indicating a meat orientation, a yellow-orange beak, and widely spaced legs. In birds long back, convex chest, raised tail, strong wings and dark bluish eyes.

Peking ducks are extremely precocious. By one and a half or two months, young individuals gain up to 2.5 kg of weight. By the time of slaughter, with proper feeding, drakes weigh about 4 kg, and females are only 500 grams less.

The meat yield per carcass reaches 66%, however, these meat ducks easily build up not only muscle mass, but also fat, which must be taken into account when preparing a diet.

Crossing Peking ducks with representatives of other breeds and species gives excellent results, which has been repeatedly confirmed by domestic and foreign breeders. A worthy example is the Moscow White ducks, obtained from parent pairs of Peking birds and individuals of the Khaki Campbell breed.

Meat ducks of domestic selection are in many ways reminiscent of their Beijing ancestors, and at the same time they exhibit better egg production, which is maintained in laying hens for several years. This quality is very useful for the duck breed. The bird adapts well to different climatic conditions, is unpretentious to feed and gains weight no less than its famous ancestors.

The French have long favored meat breeds of ducks. An ancient variety, bred in the vicinity of Rouen on the basis of local stock and wild mallards, was named after the city and still enjoys the attention of poultry farmers. The French duck has retained the natural color of its plumage, but at the same time it is strikingly different from wild birds in its fatness and the most delicate taste meat. Adults grow up to 5 kg and compete equally with Peking and other meat ducks. Therefore, birds of the Rouen breed are still involved in breeding work and are used to produce highly productive meat and meat-egg crosses.

In addition to Peking ducks, the most common in the territory former USSR, white Moscow birds and Indian ducks imported in the late 80s, Ukrainian ducks of various varieties are still popular in Russia. Most often they talk about the gray meat-oriented duck with a well-developed muscle mass, thin bones and good meat and egg characteristics.

In birds of this breed, differences in the color of males and females are clearly visible. Drakes reach a weight of 3.5 kilograms, and ducks can weigh up to 3 kg. The average number of eggs laid is 120; record hens can produce up to 250 eggs annually.

Another domestic waterfowl of Ukrainian selection is the white-breasted black duck, obtained on the basis of local livestock, the Peking breed and birds of the Khaki Campbell meat-egg variety.

The title speaks volumes about appearance this duck breed is worthy of home breeding. Ducks have black plumage, and a spot of white feathers is located in the chest area and the base of a wide, strong neck. The beak of these Ukrainian ducks, like their eyes and legs, is also black. Males and females have strong wings that lie close to the body and short, strong legs.

Compared to Peking white ducks, this bird matures longer, reaching a maximum weight of 4 kg only by six months. Most often, meat ducks are slaughtered at the age of 2.5–3 months, when the carcass weighs about 2.5 kg and the meat is most tasty.

Birds of this breed can become fat, which must be taken into account when organizing housing and feeding. Over the course of a year, a laying hen produces up to 130 large 80-gram eggs.

The leaders in obtaining new breeds of ducks and crosses for domestic and industrial breeding in Russia today are the breeders of the Blagovarsky breeding plant in Bashkiria. Thanks to their work, “Bashkir duck” has become a recognizable brand not only in our country, but also abroad.

Based on Peking ducks with a manifested “wild” plumage gene, the breed of Colored Bashkir ducks was created here. This is a highly productive, early-ripening meat bird that has two color options: khaki or brown and black with a white breast.

A characteristic feature of Bashkir ducks is the low fat content of meat compared to the Peking or Blagovarian breeds.

Another well-known cross of Blagovarsky ducks was also obtained at the Bashkir breeding farm “Blagovarsky”. This is a universal meat-egg bird, growing up to 3.4 kg by seven weeks and at the same time capable of producing up to 240 high-grade eggs per year.

The ducklings of this cross are distinguished by excellent vitality and unpretentiousness. They grow well both in industrial-type farms and in personal backyards.

An interesting breed for home growing is the Blue Favorite duck. This variety was obtained by breeders of the same Bashkir enterprise. The ancestors of the beautiful bird with unusual plumage were individuals of the local Colored Bashkir duck. The gray-blue color of the steel shade is not the only one characteristic birds. Large meat ducks easily grow up to 5 kg of live weight, and their meat quality is better than that of their ancestors and the famous Peking ducks.

Young Favorit ducks are distinguished by excellent endurance and vitality. The bird grows magnificently and, with a well-chosen diet, reaches 3.6 kg of weight by two months. In a private farmstead, poultry farmers can receive 140 eggs per year from laying hens. According to the description of the duck breed and existing reviews, the bird is promising for both industrial and private farming.

Agidel ducks bred in Bashkiria are descendants of the Blagovarsky meat cross, birds of the Super M variety and the egg breed of Indian Runner ducks. With an appearance that speaks of the meat orientation of the cross, the birds are distinguished not only by excellent fattening characteristics, but also by surprisingly high egg indicators.

Agidel ducks have a long, massive body, dense white plumage and a wonderful, accommodating character. This breed of duck already at 7 weeks of age shows a weight of about 3 kilograms, while in a year the laying hen is capable of laying up to 240 large eggs weighing at least 90 grams.

The meat of this breed of duck is of the highest quality, not inferior to mulards or other meat birds of foreign selection.

Unlike broiler ducks, whose meat productivity largely depends on the receipt of protein feed, the Bashkir duck grows on a diet available on any, even modest, personal farm. Birds are excellent eaters of any green plants, grains, hay and grain processing waste.

Mulards, thanks to their lean meat, early maturity and record meat productivity among waterfowl poultry, are becoming increasingly popular both among amateur poultry farmers and in huge industrial feeding complexes. Meanwhile, the domestic dog cannot rightfully be called a breed. This is an interspecific hybrid obtained from crossing Peking or other Eurasian ducks and American Indian ducks.

A pair for a Muscovy duck when obtaining hybrid offspring can be either Peking birds or Rouen ducks, as well as individuals of other meat breeds. Mulards are called broiler ducks because of their excellent fattening qualities, similar to chickens of meat breeds. At the same time, the bird behaves ideally both when raised on large farms and on private farmsteads. Domestic Mulard ducks are peaceful, calm and unpretentious.

Over four months of keeping the bird, the weight can reach up to 7 kilograms. Females in industrial complexes are often raised for meat, and drakes produce excellent liver for making foie gras.

Since such a hybrid generation does not produce offspring, the parent flock is not formed from the bird, and eggs are not obtained from the mulards.

Hybridization has helped poultry farmers solve two major problems of Muscovy and Pekin ducks. The former, having lean meat, cleanliness and a quiet disposition, fatten up relatively slowly and do not have much heavy weight. Peking birds are larger, but quickly gaining weight, they can become fat and lose the quality of meat.

Domestic mulard ducks are ideal for growing because they are both early maturing and produce amazing-tasting meat.

Heavy broiler duck for meat production was obtained by breeders from the French company Grimaud freres selection. This is a highly productive cross intended for feeding for meat and for producing foie gras liver.

Duck Star 53 is characterized by a high growth rate and active weight gain. The bird has dense white plumage, a strong build and a wide, massive chest. Already by 50 days of age, the live weight of ducklings is 3.7 kg. The meat breast, the most valuable part of the carcass, makes up one third of the total weight of the bird. At the same time, the quality of dietary, low-fat French duck meat is much better than that of most related varieties. In breeding, this breed of ducks has proven to be resistant to disease, not capricious and very viable.

Duck breeds for breeding at home - video

The bird was obtained by crossing with a turkey. In fact, the reason for this was the external similarity. The Muscovy duck became domesticated a long time ago, but it appeared in our country in the 80s of the 20th century. Since then, it has been widespread and loved by poultry farmers.

The musk bird has distinctive features:

• wide, elongated body;
• wide chest;
• elongated head;
• large, dark eyes;
• growths on the face.

The main purpose of raising Muscovy duck is meat. The weight of an adult bird reaches 5-6 kg.

Pros:

• don't make noise;
• healthy meat;
• get along with other poultry;
• eat greens;
• rush a lot.

Minuses:

• grow slowly;
• They don't go in herds.

Blue minion duck species

Appeared in the late 1990s. Place of origin: Bashkiria. It got its name from the color of its plumage. The breed is large. Some poultry farmers managed to grow it in six months to the size of a goose of the same age. Feedback from farmers about the poultry is positive. main reason popularity – good survival rate.

The Blue Favorite stands out:

• neck of medium length;
• short legs;
• large, tightly fitting wings;
• blue color with a smoky tint.

This bird has a lot of advantages:

• unpretentiousness in food;
• growth rate (even with poor food, the duck quickly gains weight);
• survivability;
• ability to be kept in different conditions.

One of the minuses that stands out is that the “Blue Favorite” does not hatch eggs well.

Appeared recently. Refers to the type of meat broilers. Popular in meat exporting countries. Gains weight quickly in any conditions. Thanks to breeders, the bird adapts to climatic and weather conditions. The meat has a distinct taste. Ducks are not afraid of common diseases.

She got a wide, long body with an impressive mass. Plumage color is white. The beak is bright orange. By appearance is a meat duck. A two-month-old duckling weighs up to 3 kg.

The breed is highly productive. 250 eggs – egg production of a duck in one period.

• disease resistance;
• fast growth;
• unpretentiousness in food;
• high productivity.

One of the best birds in terms of price-quality ratio. By breeding "Bashkirks", the owner gets beautiful, meaty ducks without spending a lot of money on maintenance. The breed received two color options: black and white and khaki.

Productive and immune to disease, which simplifies the breeding process. The average weight of an adult duck is 4 kg. With good food and care, this figure increases. Does not require special conditions content.

The advantages for breeders include:

• maintenance cost;
• attractive feather color;
• possibility of breeding on farms (for business purposes);
• tender meat.

When breeding at home, you should pay attention to temperature and lighting.

Popular breed. Often found in households. Many call it the best meat duck. It was developed a long time ago, thanks to which it managed to spread throughout the world.

External features:

• dense build;
• wide back and chest;
• prominent forehead;
• massive, short legs;
• powerful wings;
• the plumage is white or cream.

An adult male weighs up to 4.2 kg, a female – 3.8. Except delicious meat, Peking ducks are good layers - up to 130 eggs per year.

- an amazing breed. Thanks to them, subspecies of these waterfowl have been bred today.

She has many advantages. Here are the main ones:

• good growth;
• good layers and hens;
• delicious meat.

The disadvantages include not the greatest weight by today's standards.

Mulards

They appeared thanks to the crossing of Indian ducks and other domestic breeds. This made it possible to obtain fast-growing and large individuals. Mulards are easy and cheap to breed. Ducks are easy to distinguish from other poultry. Have large body and a long neck. Plumage – black or White color.

You should not breed mulards to produce offspring. They exhibit sexual instinct, but fertilization of the eggs does not occur.

The advantages of the breed, in addition to weight, include:

• dietary meat;
• rapid growth (with good food, a duck weighs up to 3 kilograms in two months);
• A spacious area is enough for maintenance.

Minuses:

• cost of ducklings;
• more difficult to raise than other breeds.

They are in demand among farmers in Russia and the CIS countries. Hardy and strong ducks. They gain weight quickly and are disease resistant. In 50 days, a duckling can gain up to 3 kg. It is distinguished by its egg production - up to 150 per year. The survival rate of ducklings is 95%.

For rapid growth, ducks need to be provided with a variety of food and water. It is better to feed at the same time. Food must contain vitamins.

The meat of an adult duck had an excellent taste, although a little tough. It contains many vitamins, especially if the individual is slaughtered at 7 weeks.

Lean meat, unpretentiousness in feed and care, slaughter at 50 days of life - this has made the French Star 53 breed very popular among farmers. Congenital features and proper care will help you grow a duck weighing up to 4.5 kg.

“Star 53” has a fast metabolism, due to which the absorption of vitamins occurs at lightning speed. Ducks do not accumulate fat, which makes the meat dietary.

The appearance of the breed is quite typical. Powerful breasts are the first thing that catches your eye. The plumage is white. The massive back stands out.

Main advantages:

• unpretentiousness to food;
• fast growth;
• immunity to diseases.

Minuses:

• do not like cramped spaces;
• Adjustment of temperature and light conditions is required.

Blagovarskaya

The breed combines productivity and beauty. Farmers note the profitability of raising these ducks. The breed appeared recently and was bred in Russia. They have a pronounced meat type and excellent taste. The young grow quickly and lose minimal weight during fledging.

Poultry farmers do not have to spend money on feed. The individual is unpretentious in food, productive - offspring emerge from 80% of the eggs.

With the correct combination of feed, the weight gain is 1 kg.

Pros:

• to maintain a sufficiently equipped barn;
• ducks are calm and balanced;
• active growth.

The breed is 2 thousand years old. Ducks run and swim quickly. The presence of a reservoir is not necessary. When running, they do not spread their wings, which surprises poultry farmers. The breed is calm and only becomes anxious when there is danger.

The weight of an adult is about 2 kg. Productivity – 280 eggs per year. There is little meat, but it is considered a delicacy. The breed is egg.

Pros of "Runners":

• calm character;
• productivity;
• ease of care;
• the ability to live with other birds;
• attractive appearance.

Minuses:

• Light weight.

An artificially bred breed. He is distinguished by good health and a love of freedom. Has developed muscles. Spends a lot of time in the water. It stands out for its thick plumage and beautiful coloring. Size – medium. The legs are short but powerful.

The disadvantages include a love of water. Birds must be allowed to roam freely at all times.

The breed is of interest to many breeders and farmers. main feature- crest on the head. The duck has an interesting appearance and a calm character. The bird does not grow large - maximum weight is 2.5 kg. Very mobile, thanks to developed muscles.

Farmers have noticed that the larger the crest, the less productivity.

Unpretentious in food. He treats bodies of water calmly. You shouldn’t feed them too much – you’ll end up with a carcass swollen with fat.

Pros:

• unpretentiousness in food and maintenance;
• productivity;
• fast growth.

Minuses:

• little weight.

A bright and very beautiful breed of ducks. Duck color – green color with a metallic tint. The breed belongs to the meat-egg species, but is used more often in decorative purposes. The meat doesn't look very appetizing because of the black stumps.

Another one distinctive feature– Cayugas lay black eggs. About 150 pieces can be demolished in a year. Ducks willingly hatch them.

In general, ducks are not picky, which allows them to be kept in any conditions.

Advantages of the breed:

• beauty;
• high productivity;
• beautiful hens;
• unpretentiousness.

Minuses:

• light weight;
• susceptible to disease.

A popular breed that does not require serious care. Even a novice farmer can cope with ducklings. They do not need a pond or special food. The chicks grow quickly, are immune to diseases, and are mobile. Ducks tolerate low temperatures very well.

Individuals quickly gain weight - up to 3.5 kg in 7 weeks. The meat is dietary and odorless. A duck can lay up to one hundred eggs in a year.

A meat-oriented breed. Very prolific ducks with high quality meat. They have an attractive appearance. Capable of gaining weight up to 4.5 kg. Excellent egg production - up to 150 eggs per year.

The breed is unpretentious in food and can do without a pond. Resistant to diseases. His character is calm. You can buy ducks for a low price. With the right food, Moscow Whites grow up to 2 kg. in 2 months.

Pros:

• price;
• unpretentiousness;
• egg production.

Flaws:

• Weight Limit.

Black white breasted

It appeared in the middle of the last century, but could not gain popularity among farmers, although it has good characteristics. "Black White-breasted" grows very quickly and does not require special feed. The weight of an adult can reach 4 kg. The meat is tender and pleasant to the taste.

The egg production of poultry is 130 eggs per cycle, but this applies to broilers. Very high survival rate of offspring. They can easily withstand the cold. The main thing for them is dry bedding.

You can feed almost everything. It is necessary to calculate the amount of food in order to obtain a large, healthy individual.

An egg-meat breed. Very common in Russia. They are grown both on farms and in private farmsteads. Ducks are very active and mobile. They are small in size. The color of the plumage is “sand”.

Pros:

• weight up to 3.5 kilograms;
• egg production up to 200 eggs per year;
• delicious meat.

Minuses:

• do not hatch eggs;
• requires a lot of space and pond.

When choosing a duck breed, the main thing is to know what you want to get from it in the end - meat or eggs. Many waterfowl are similar, and only an experienced farmer will notice the differences. The productivity of any ducks depends only on the efforts of the owner.

Ducks occupy a leading position in cultivation in household. This is not at all surprising; these birds are very hardy, adapt well to any weather and conditions, and also show high results in the production of meat and eggs. According to their productive qualities, there are meat, egg and egg-meat duck breeds.

The most common meat breeds of duck in households are broilers. This can be explained by the fact that they reach maturity faster than others, are distinguished by good vitality, good egg production and, most importantly, meat highest quality. Raising meat ducks is not only easy, but also very profitable. The most popular breeds of meat ducks are: Peking, White Moscow, Black White-breasted, Ukrainian Gray, and Muscovy. Let's look at the pros and cons of each of them in more detail.

Beijing

Meat ducks of the Peking breed are the most popular. They were bred in Beijing more than 300 years ago. In the 19th century, these ducks were introduced to South America and Europe, where they quickly became popular.

These ducks are distinguished by good health, quickly reach the required level of maturity and rapidly gain body weight. They look very massive, have a large head, the frontal part is very convex; the beak is orange-yellow in color and slightly concave in shape. The legs are short, massive, located closer to the tail. The eyes are dark blue, deep set. The feathers are white, sometimes with a yellow tint. The wings are very strong and fit closely to the body; The body itself is long and slightly raised. The back of the birds is wide, long, with a slight slope towards the tail. The tail sticks up.

Peking ducklings gain 2-2.5 kg by the age of 50-55 days. The weight of an adult female duck is 3-3.5 kg, the weight of a drake is even greater - 3.5-4 kg. Egg production is not bad, about 80-120 eggs in one year. The eggs are very large - 85-90 grams. The highest level of egg production in this meat duck occurs in the first 3 years of life.

Peking ducks are distinguished by their omnivorous nature; they happily eat both plant and animal food. The main thing is to formulate the diet correctly, as this is very important and greatly affects egg production. But in general, they are not at all capricious and are as easy as possible to care for.

White Moscow

The White Moscow meat duck was bred by crossing the Peking breed and the Khaki Campbell. These ducks can be found in almost every rural yard in Russia.

The external characteristics of the Moscow White are in many ways similar to the Beijing White. The color is white with a slightly pink tint, the body is wide and raised upward, the chest is round in shape. The small head is placed on a very fragile neck. The paws are pale pink, short and widely spaced. The beak is pink.

Drakes of the White Muscovy duck reach very large sizes as adults - up to 4.5 kg. Females weigh about one kilogram less than males. But this mark is not the limit; sometimes it happens that they grow further. Egg production at high level, about 125 eggs in one season. The eggs are also very large, weighing about 100 grams.

The advantage of breeding this breed is the low purchase price. This is due to the fact that this breed is very common. It is also valued because it easily survives harsh winters and has excellent immunity. She is completely unpretentious when it comes to food.

The poultry meat is very tender and has excellent taste.

White Muscovy ducklings have a high survival rate and rapid growth. After two months of life, they gain weight of 2-2.5 kg.

Black white breasted

The Black White-breasted meat breed was developed by crossing the Ukrainian White-breasted duck with the Peking and Khaki Campbell ducks. Ducks of this breed have a deep chest and raised body. The back is quite wide, long, sloping towards the tail. The color of this meat bird is black, but the chest and part of the neck are white. The legs are low, widely spaced, located towards the end of the body, black in color. The beak is dark, almost black. The eyes are large and black. The wings are very strong and fit tightly to the body. By the 6th month of its life, this meat breed duck reaches its maturity. The weight of the duck is average, approximately 3-3.5 kg. In one year it is capable of laying about 120-130 eggs weighing 80-90 grams.

The ducklings of this meat duck fatten very quickly and by 2 months already weigh 1.5-1.6 kg. Their meat is fatty, and its taste is significantly superior to that of other breeds.

Ukrainian gray

Gray Ukrainian meat ducks were bred by crossing wild ducks with home Ukrainians. Ducks of this breed are large and massive. The weight of a drake can reach 4 kg, and a duck – 3 kg. Birds easily gain this weight by 4 months. No special feed or additives are required. At 2 months they are ready for slaughter, since their body weight is 2 kg. Their egg production is high - 120 eggs in one year. They begin to lay eggs from the end of February until the fall. If you create suitable conditions and observe temperature and light conditions, these meat ducks can lay a record number of eggs - up to 260 per year. The egg is large – 70-80 grams.

Raising this bird is very simple. It is not capricious when it comes to food; it eats grass, kitchen waste, algae and other aquatic vegetation with great pleasure. In the summer, very little grain is required, approximately 25% of the total diet. With the onset of cold weather, the diet of meat poultry needs to be slightly changed: grain food should make up 50% of the total diet. The remaining 50% is pumpkin, potatoes, cabbage and apples.

This meat breed duck can easily withstand the winter and can be kept in an unheated coop, as long as it has thick bedding and well-insulated walls. Avoid drafts, as this is very dangerous for the health of the bird. Even on frosty days, ducks should be allowed out for a walk; they take snow baths with great pleasure.

The Ukrainian gray duck has a strong build, short and widely spaced legs. The body is long and wide. The color is gray, with a white stripe on the neck. The beak is curved, dark in color. Gray Ukrainian ducks closely resemble wild ducks.

musky

The Muscovy duck, a meat breed, is an independent, long-standing known species. Widespread in Mexico and South America. The Muscovy duck is also often called the Indo duck because of its similar appearance. But don't think that they are somehow connected.

Indian ducks gained great popularity in Russia after 1980.

Indian ducks are wood ducks. In appearance, they are more reminiscent of spur geese than ducks. The character is very calm, not capricious; they have good immunity. Its main advantage is that it can easily do without a pond. Males of this breed are very large, their body weight is approximately 6 kg. Females are slightly smaller - 3.5-4 kg. Egg production is average - 100-120 eggs per season. The eggs are large – 75-80 grams. In terms of egg production, they are slightly inferior to Peking ducks. But pay attention - eggs of this breed can be stored longer, which is a big plus.

Indian ducks are very silent, which also distinguishes them from others. They don't like company and don't get into fights.

The Muscovy duck has a well developed maternal instinct and she is a wonderful mother hen.

The meat of this meat duck is very tender, and, which is very important, completely lean. It tastes good.

As you can see, raising meat-breed broiler ducks is a very simple task that will bring you not only pleasure, but also excellent meat and, as a bonus, eggs. It is difficult to highlight specific pros and cons of each breed, because it all depends on your growing goals, living conditions and feeding. None of the breeds have any obvious disadvantages.

Video “Complex for raising ducks for meat”

The video shows a modern complex for raising meat breeds of ducks and producing duck meat.

The duck family is considered the largest on the planet. Among its representatives there are ducks that stand out sharply from the general background. For example, such a bird is a swan - biggest duck in the world.

Duck taxonomy has always been the subject of heated debate among ornithologists. Today there are several genera in the duck family. Ducks are called shelducks, dabbling and diving ducks, mergansers, musky ducks, etc. There are over a hundred species in total. Ducks have a wide distribution throughout the world. At least 30 species live in our country.

Characteristics of ducks

Ducks are small in size, have a streamlined body shape, a wide beak and a short neck. Their plumage can have different colors. The feet of these birds have swimming membranes. The male duck is called "drake".

On land, ducks are rather clumsy, but in water they behave like tireless divers and experienced swimmers. Their diving depth exceeds 6 m. They fly well and are able to rise to a height of about 6 km. Representatives of the duck family are waterfowl migratory birds. During migrations they cover considerable distances. The birds fly away at the same time, but different flocks go in different directions.

Modern ornithologists classify swans, geese, diving and dabbling ducks in the Anatidae or Anatidae family. According to the new taxonomy, the whooper swan is the largest duck in the world. Its weight can exceed 17 kg. The whooper lives in the northern regions of Eurasia. It is very similar to a mute swan. They differ only in the shape of their beak and the way they hold their neck. The whooper has a straight neck, while the mute has an S-shaped neck.

Habits of a large swan

The screaming swan prefers remote places where there are no people. A swan couple stays together all their lives. Even during the winter, the birds do not leave each other. Swans carefully protect their nesting area from other birds.

The largest among ordinary ducks

If we consider an ordinary river duck, then the mallard stands out among such birds. This biggest duck in the world and a very numerous species. It is the most common and famous among ducks. The length of the drake is 62 cm, and the female is 57 cm. The weight of the individual is 1-1.5 kg. But on the eve of the flight, the birds feed intensively, then their weight reaches 2 kg.

Mallards can be seen in wildlife and in cities. Birds living close to people have formed unusual urban populations. These mallards live in populated areas year-round, having chosen partially salty and fresh water bodies. They are indifferent to human presence. Some ducks become almost tame. The mallard can be recognized by its green neck and head (on the male). The breast, back, crop and ventral side of the bird are colored grey colour. The female is distinguished by a brown color with dark spots. The wings of such ducks are decorated with a blue-violet spot.

Many experts call the eider the largest duck in the world. Its weight is sometimes 3 kg. The down of this bird is famous for its excellent thermal insulation qualities. It is still collected in the wild. Drakes of this species are distinguished by black and white plumage, and females are rather modestly colored.

Interesting facts about ducks:

1. The feathers of these birds do not get wet, remaining dry even after diving. This is due to the fact that almost all waterfowl have a coccygeal gland. It produces a special fatty substance that birds regularly distribute throughout the body. This way they create a special cover that prevents the feathers from getting wet.
2. During the molting period, representatives of ducks lose their flight feathers and have difficulty flying.
3. Ducks have a complex genital structure. In males, the penis has a spiral shape, and its length can be equal to the size of the drake's body. In females unusual shape the ovaries are different. The more complex it is, the more unusual the male’s phallus.
4. When choosing a partner in the wild, a duck is guided by the color of its beak. Rich yellow pigment indicates sexual health drake.
5. The duck's neck has a huge number of vertebrae - more than that of a giraffe.
6. Only females can quack. Duck quacks have no echo.

As a conclusion, it can be noted that it is possible to single out the very best duck only relatively, since in each species there are large individuals. The habitat of birds is of great importance. For example, a mute swan living on a city pond can gain up to 22 kg if people feed it.

As for the artificially created duck, its height is 16.5 m. This is a giant bird made of rubber, created by an artist from Holland - Florentijn Hofman. The duckling represents unusual sculpture or an art object that floated in the coastal waters of cities such as Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Osaka, Sydney. This is the largest man-made duck in the world.