How many days do ducks grow to slaughter and a table of meat yield from live weight
Duck meat is considered a healthy dietary product containing the required amount of protein and fat. Ducklings grow very quickly, and already at 2 months they reach their optimal live weight. Novice farmers often make mistakes in calculating how many months ducks grow before slaughter. Too old duck can lose its taste, and feed costs will increase by 20-30%. Therefore, it is very important to know the deadlines for slaughter and observe them.
How many ducks grow before slaughter
Usually, ducklings grow up for 2 months before slaughter. In early maturing breeds, the period can be reduced to 45-50 days. Average normal weight gain over the period is 2-2.5 kilograms. At this age, the meat is already quite tasty, and the feathers are not tough, they are easily plucked. For growing, it is better to select well-mobile and large ducklings, which are strikingly different in weight from their peers.
Weight gain strongly depends on the breed of the duck and the quality of feeding, conditions of detention. During the rearing of young animals, it is necessary to adhere to the following standards:
- The correct diet is a balanced diet high in protein. Includes crushed boiled eggs, grains, and crushed corn. From two weeks of age, you can give cottage cheese and chopped greens, table waste.
- Systematic giving of greens - without it, the digestive system of waterfowl does not work properly, so they do not gain weight well.
- Proper lighting - at least 10 hours of daylight in summer and winter. The light intensity can be 15-20 lux.
- Daily cleaning and sufficient bedding. The water in drinking bowls and other containers is changed at least once a day, or better, several times a day in the warm season, otherwise a persistent smell appears.
- Permanent access to water - keep in dry rooms without a trough or bathing basin is prohibited.
Observing these simple rules, you can hope for a good gain in the shortest possible time. Peking duck reaches 2.5, and sometimes 3 kilograms by 2 months.
What can affect the term
The growing time is greatly influenced by the lack of water. Some owners feed poultry plentifully but forget to refill drinkers on time. Because of this, ducklings quickly become dehydrated and food is not digested properly. Each head should be provided with 1.5 liters of water or 5 liters per 1 kg of feed per day.
Too low temperature leads to intensive expenditure of nutrients for heating the body, so ducklings do not gain weight well.
The optimum temperature in the house should be between 20-23 degrees, and the humidity should be up to 65%. Do not overload the house too much - close proximity provokes constant aggression and fights among the ducklings.Because of this, the viability is reduced, the risk of bird death is high. Accommodation is available for no more than 16 heads per 1 sq. meter of the room.
If you do not organize a walk for the ducklings in a warm season, this may affect the immunity of the bird. Walking should be done daily, starting at 4 days of age. On the street, birds will be able to independently provide themselves with green food and get a sufficient dose of vitamins. The sun has a beneficial effect on the condition of plumage, and active movement - on muscle and weight gain.
Prolonged rearing periods lead to juvenile molting. After 55-60 days, the feathers of the ducklings begin to change. The body expends a large number of calories, so birds lose weight, lose their presentation, and feathers are much more difficult to pluck. Therefore, the slaughter of young animals is carried out before the change of feathers.
Duck meat yield from live weight
The net yield of duck meat in gutted carcasses depends on the breed and ranges from 55-70%.
To calculate the yield, it is enough to make a proportion with the values indicated in the table:
| Ducklings age | Live weight | Total feed intake in grams |
| 4 days | 95 | 60 |
| 10 days | 260 | 72 |
| 2 weeks | 434 | 82 |
| 3 weeks | 850 | 90 |
| 4 weeks | 1100 | 100 |
| 5 weeks | 1350 | 110 |
| 6 weeks | 1600 | 120 |
| 7 weeks | 1720 | 150 |
| 8 weeks | 1950 | 168 |
As you can see from the table, the rate of weight gain becomes less intense by 8 weeks, so further rearing for meat is impractical.
To calculate the meat yield from live weight, you need to make a proportion:
X = M (duck weight) * K (coefficient)
The coefficient varies depending on the breed of the duck.
An example of calculating the net yield from live weight of a Peking duck:
x = 2300 (live weight) * 0.86 (Peking duck coefficient) = 1978 - net weight yield.
