The growth characteristics of white muscovy duck

Observation, comparison and correlation analysis were conducted to investigate the growth characteristics, daily gain and feed conversion ratio of Fujian white muscovy duck. The age of 31 to 60 days was the period when the daily gains of male and female muscovy ducks were the highest, and their feed conversion ratio was 3.14. Before the age of 10 days, there was insignificant difference (P0.05) in daily gain between male and female ducks. But after the age of 10 days, there was significant difference (P(0.01)) in absolute gains between male and female ducks, and furthermore the difference in body weights between male and female ducks became more and more significant along with the increase of the age of days, until the male ducks were 1.51 kg heavier than the female ones at the age of 150 days. Therefore, it was suggested that the male and female ducks should be fed separately after the age of 10 days. Meanwhile there was significant correlation in body weights between the ages of 60 days and 90 days (r_♀=0.7727, r_♂=0.5824). In breeding, the body weights at the age of 65 to 70 days could be used to estimate and assess a duck′s growth rate.