INFLUENCE OF PHOTOPERIOD AND CRUDE PROTEIN LEVELS ON PRODUCTIVE TRAITS AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF MUSCOVY DUCKLING MALES DURING SUMMER SEASON

Azazi, Ibrahim; ALazab, Ahmed; Nassrallah, Mohamed

doi:10.21608/jpd.2016.42273

INFLUENCE OF PHOTOPERIOD AND CRUDE PROTEIN LEVELS ON PRODUCTIVE TRAITS AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF MUSCOVY DUCKLING MALES DURING SUMMER SEASON

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Animal Production Research Institute, Egypt.

10.21608/jpd.2016.42273

Abstract

The present study was conducted to estimate the effect of lighting program and protein level in the diet and their interaction on productive performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and economical efficiency at the summer season. A total of 180 Muscovy ducklings ,one day old, was individually weighed and randomly distributed equally into two groups (90 birds, each) according to lighting programs, L₁ (natural day light as complement the natural lighting to 22-hour using artificial light) and L₂ (22 hours / day using artificial light). Ducklings in each light program were divided into three groups (30 birds in each) with three replicates (10 birds, each) according to levels of crude protein in the diet: Low protein level (P1) (21, 17 and 16%) medium protein level (P₂) (22, 18 and 17% ) and high protein level(P₃) (23, 19 and 18% ) for starter, grower and finisher periods, respectively, during experimental period from one–day to 12 weeks of age.
The obtained results showed that Muscovy duckling males exposed to (L₂) program had significantly (P≤0.01) higher LBW at 8 weeks of age and BWG, during period 4-8 wks of age as compared to that exposed to (L₁) program. The L2 birds consumed significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) higher amounts of feed than that L₁ birds during all periods studied, except during period 4-8 wks of age. Birds reared under L₁ system had the significantly (P≤0.05) best feed conversion ratio for cumulative feed conversion ratio (0-12 wks), as compared with that reared under L₁ system.
Significant effects of CP levels or natural day light on protein intake, protein utilization and performance index at the end of the experimental period. Also, there were significant differences between CP levels with lighting programs of protein intake and performance index at the end of the experiment while, protein utilization was not significant. The duckling males reared under L2 system gave significantly (P≤0.05) higher percentage of thighs than that reared under L1 system.
Duckling males received (P₃) diet recorded significantly (P≤0.01) higher LBW at 4, 8 and 12 wks of age and BWG during periods 0-4 and 4-8 wks of age and during whole period (0-12 wks of age) followed by birds received (P₂) and (P₁) diets, respectively. The birds of P₃ diet consumed significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) lower amounts of feed than those birds of P₂ or P₁ diet, respectively. Birds fed P₃ diet had the significantly (P≤0.01) best feed conversion ratio for cumulative feed conversion ratio (0-12 wks) followed by P₂ and P₁ diet, respectively. The birds fed on P₂diet recorded the highest values of percentage of breast and tend, while, the highest values of abdominal fat were recorded by birds fed on P₃ diet. Birds fed P3 diet had significantly (P≤0.05) higher serum creatine concentration compared to birds fed P₁ diet.
The interaction between lighting program and protein levels showed that duckling males received (P₃) diet and exposed to (L₁) program group recorded the highest values of both LBW and BWG when compared to other groups. Birds fed on P₃ diet and exposed to either L₁ or L₂ program consumed significantly (P≤0.01) lower amounts of feed, and had the significantly (P≤0.01) best feed conversion ratio than other groups during whole experimental period (0-12 wks). Using high protein level (P₃) in the diets of ducks with natural day light (L1) improved economic efficiency and relative economic efficiency of ducks compared with other groups. Birds reared under L₂ system and fed P₁ diet recorded significantly (P≤0.01) best abdominal fat compared to other groups. All studied serum proteins and serum lipids were not significantly affected due to both lighting system and crud protein level effect and their interaction.
Conclusively, it could be concluded that dietary high CP (%) with natural day light might have positive effects on growth performance traits and economic efficiency (%) of growing Muscovy duckling males, during summer season.

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