How many mulards grow at home, at what age and weight to slaughter

Mulards belong to broiler crosses of ducks. The cross was developed in France in the mid-20th century. The breeders were given the task of improving the early maturity of the Peking duck. To do this, it was crossed with individuals of the Muscat breed. The result was a bird with high early maturity and good meat productivity.

Experts warn that to rejuvenate the flock, it is necessary to purchase young animals or carry out selection, creating bird families from Peking and Muscat ducks. One cannot expect offspring from the Mulards themselves. They are infertile. They are bred exclusively for meat. It is low-fat, juicy, with delicate and fine fibers. What is the description of the breed? How to fatten livestock?

Characteristics of mulards

Mulard ducks are large in size, but the body does not look loose. The physique is fit and strong. The bird has a large head, a long and wide neck, and a muscular body. The limbs are elongated, the landing is horizontal, but high. From a distance the birds look like geese. What are mularda ducks? When can young animals be cut:

• The main plumage of mulards is white. There are dark spots on the head, chest, and back. The chicks emerge with olive-colored down with dark streaks. Females and males are not separated. It doesn't matter when growing. Mulards do not form bird families. Individuals of both sexes gain weight almost equally. Both drakes and females are raised together;
• The bird's beak and metatarsals are orange. There are black spots on the beak. The length of the beak is 14 cm. It is elongated and slightly flattened at the edges. Mulards have no teeth on the inner wall of the beak;
• Ducks are characterized by accelerated growth and weight gain. Young animals are raised for up to 60 days. By this time, the ducklings gain 4 kg. Subsequently, their growth slows down;
• an adult drake can weigh up to 7 kg, the female is 500 g less;
• For Mulard ducks, cage housing is used. Dry concentrated mixtures are used as feed. Traditional feeding of ducks is used only in households if breeding is not a business;
• Mulard duck eats a lot. This is evidenced by reviews from farmsteaders and farmers. In order to get a larger liver in birds, force feeding is used.

Poultry is raised up to 2 years of age not only to obtain meat from it, but also liver. In individuals it makes up 1/8 of the body. If your body weight is 4 kg, then the liver will weigh 500-550 g. In France, this product is highly valued. Foie gras is made from it.

Short description

In appearance, mulards are similar to both Peking ducks and musky ducks. But their body weight is greater than that of each parent breed. Among other things, the characteristic features of mulards include:

• elongated massive body;
• yellow legs:
• long neck.

The color of this hybrid can be either dark or light. But most often, mulards have white plumage and a characteristic black “cap” on their head.

How to care for livestock?

Young animals are purchased from breeders. It is recommended to buy week-old chicks, but they are more expensive than day-old ducklings. For the first 2 weeks, the young animals are kept in a brooder. There are up to 15 individuals per 1 m2. For them, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of 30 C, daylight hours for 24 hours. Starting from the 14th day, the duration of daylight hours begins to be reduced.

By the 30th day it is brought to 16 hours. The temperature regime changes. Ducklings feel comfortable at a temperature of 20-25 C. They should be provided with fresh air. To do this, a ventilation system is installed in the room:

• the cages are raised above the floor to a height of 15 cm. This can protect the ducklings from drafts; small rodents, which cause great damage to the livestock, will not reach the livestock;
• the cage is a metal or wooden frame covered with a fine-mesh mesh;
• a pallet is installed under the floor mesh. Dirt and droppings will pass into it;
• pallets are washed daily;
• feeders and drinkers are taken outside the cages to keep them clean and dry;
• There is no need for a pond for ducklings. They don’t give them a container of water either.

The herd is resettled every week. At one month of age, the ducklings are transferred to spacious cages. There should be no more than 3 heads per 1 m2. Be sure to monitor the crowding of livestock. Otherwise, pecking may begin in the herd. Individuals pluck feathers from their fellows, causing them wounds. Cannibalism is very developed among the Mulards.

In some households, mulards are kept in a pen, on deep litter. In the summer, the livestock is taken out for grazing. For grazing, it is recommended to build an enclosure: fence the plant area with a net. Mulard ducks do not have a developed herd sense. It will be difficult to collect them if they are freely grazed in a wild meadow.

At home, before grazing, they are given a little grain mixture with roughage. Hay is used as roughage, which is steamed and chopped. It is necessary to prevent birds from developing pathologies in the intestines. Individuals will not be able to eat too much grass. Otherwise, they will suffer from tympany, blockage of the goiter and intestines. In the evening they are given a grain mixture. Often cottage cheese and skim milk are added to it.

How to set up a poultry house

The room for ducks of this breed is only suitable for light and dry conditions. The barn needs more windows. Three ducks should have at least 1 m2 of free space. Experienced farmers advise covering the floor in the poultry house with a fairly thick layer of straw bedding. The barn should be insulated and ventilated only when breeding ducks in large quantities all year round. In any case, the air temperature in the poultry house should not fall below 16-18 ° C, and humidity – 60%.

Fattening with concentrates

If you breed mulards as a business, combined feeds are used for feeding. The mixtures are balanced in protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Mulard ducks eat a lot, but a large amount of protein feed promotes accelerated growth of muscle mass. Mixtures are selected according to the age of the livestock. It is necessary to monitor the Mulard ducks and their feeding so that the development of the livestock and the raising of ducklings is correct:

There should be enough concentrates so that the young animals are not hungry. Week-old ducklings should eat every 2 hours. Concentrates are served in the form of mash. The dry mixture is steamed in boiling water or diluted in skim milk. For normal development of the individual, chalk or crushed shells are added to the food. The total amount of feed is 75 g.

After 3 weeks, the number of feedings is gradually reduced. The livestock receives concentrates 4 times a day. The daily allowance for a duckling is 225 g. It is necessary to monitor the change of feathers. If it grows poorly, then it is necessary to add premixes, fish oil, and chalk to the feed. Otherwise, there is a risk of cannibalism developing in the herd.

At the age of 60 days, the number of feedings is reduced to 3 times. The young animals receive the same amount of feed. The daily portion is 260 g. If ducks are fattened to enlarge the liver, then the volume of feed is increased. Each individual receives 340 g per day. If the bird does not want to consume the mixture, it is not yet hungry, then the food is forcibly administered. A probe is used for this.

The forced introduction of food looks like violence, but, judging by the reviews of experts, it gives good results. The farmer is forced to use this feeding technique because the duck itself is not able to eat a large amount of the mixture. To prevent the individual from having a blocked crop, she is given a lot of water. Fattening continues for a month.

Boiled eggs are given to ducklings only for the first 2 weeks. If week-old chicks were purchased, then grain mixtures are immediately used. Fish oil is given once a week. It is mixed with grain or pipetted into the beak of each duckling.

From day 14, gravel is added to the feed, 1 g per head. Grain mixtures are crushed in a crusher. They are not brought to the consistency of flour. Some of the grain is replaced with concentrates. From day 30, grain is not crushed if it is small. Birds are given 2 g of gravel per head.

Mulard ducks are not picky about food. When raising livestock at home, they are fed vegetables and herbs from the garden. They eat cabbage, lettuce, and green onions. Carrots and beets are good for them, but it is recommended to chop the root vegetables. Boiled potatoes are beneficial for mulard ducks. It promotes muscle gain. Farmers most often use seasonal feeding. In summer the herd is kept in a pen. In winter, the bird is brought indoors.

How to breed mulards?

If musk ducks and individuals of the Peking breed are raised on the farmstead, then it is not necessary to contact breeders to purchase mulard chicks. They create bird families at home. They consist of 3 Pekin breed females and 1 Indo duck drake. An aviary with a nest is separated for the family. The best time to create bird families is April-May. The Peking duck will begin to lay fertilized eggs, but they are not used for incubation. The material is collected only after a month of communication between birds of different breeds.

An incubator or hen is used to mature the eggs. Up to 20 eggs are laid under the hen. It is recommended to place one of the Muscovy ducks in the nest. They have a better developed maternal instinct. A quiet corner is set aside for the hen. A separate feeder, drinking bowl and basin of water are installed in it. If the duck does not leave the nest for more than a day, then it should be picked up and brought to the feeder.

The incubation period lasts 28 days, but biting begins already on the 26th day after eggs are laid under the hen. You can notice the appearance of chicks by their broken shells. The duck will throw her out of the nest. She takes wet ducklings under her wing. After they are dry, the mother takes them to the feeder and water bowl, teaching them to eat and drink. Farmers give good reviews about the young animals obtained using this method. Ducklings show good meat productivity. At 2 months, domestic mularda ducks weigh 3.5 kg.

Origin

The Mulard duck is a descendant of drakes of wild Muscovy ducks and domestic females (mainly the Peking White breed). This hybrid was developed in the mid-twentieth century.

The initial goal of selection was the desire to compensate for minor shortcomings of the main species. Peking duck quickly gains weight, but it is not clean, noisy and prone to fat accumulation, which impairs the taste and healthiness of the meat. Wild Muscovy ducks are not noisy or fatty, but they are demanding of room temperature and slowly gain weight.

The result of interspecific crossing made it possible to combine the best characteristics of the main breeds and obtain a large and easy-to-maintain meat hybrid. Due to the different habitats of the parents (South America for Muscovy ducks and Eurasia for Pekin ducks), these species do not interbreed under natural conditions. Obtaining a crossbreed is only possible under artificially created conditions. The result of interspecific selection is not capable of reproducing offspring, which is why the breed is often called a cross.

Slaughter time

Mulard ducks are used at the age of 60 days, but the farmer or farmsteaders independently decide when to take the livestock for slaughter. At 2 months, individuals weigh 3.8-4 kg. They can be cut, but if this does not seem enough, then the time of slaughter is postponed: fattening continues. At 4 months, ducks gain 4.2 kg. Further growth of the young animals will not be intensive. To obtain a large liver, individuals are fattened for up to 70 days or longer.

Be sure to take into account the molting period of young animals. Ducklings begin to change feathers at 2.5 months. Mulards are losing weight. They need a lot of protein and microelements to renew their feathers. There is a sharp decrease in body weight. It is recommended to slaughter before molting.

Before slaughter, the livestock is no longer fed. Feeders and drinking bowls are removed from the enclosure or cage. Birds must clear the intestines of food bolus. It is recommended to keep the carcass in hot water so that the feathers come off better. Water is taken at a temperature of 70 C. Boiling water is not used. This causes the meat to lose its pink tint. The presentation of the carcass will change for the worse.

Farmers note that mulards need special feeding in order for them to show good productivity. Content requirements are minimal. There must be fresh air in the room. If the livestock is kept on litter. It is recommended to change it once a week. Mulard meat is considered pure. Ducks are not fed antibiotics and are not given vaccines.

First cutting stage

In order to prepare a duck carcass for long-term storage in the freezer or to give it a high-quality presentation, it is necessary to adhere to a certain procedure developed by generations of poultry farmers:

• You need to carefully cut off the bird's neck. Moreover, if the slaughtered duck is being prepared for sale or the owners themselves are going to cook it stuffed, then you should leave a large piece of skin on the neck, which will cover the cut.
• Then you should cut off the feathered legs (no higher than a couple of centimeters from the heel joint) and wings (at the first joint) .
• After this, you need to cut the duck’s belly and remove the stomach with giblets (these include the heart, lungs, and liver). The latter should be washed and, after drying, placed in the refrigerator; they can also be used for food.
• Abdominal fat needs to be trimmed. If this is not done, it will ruin the taste of the bird when cooked. It is also advisable to remove the sebaceous (coccygeal) gland located near the tail. In some breeds of ducks, it can also spoil the taste of a poultry dish.
• the crop and esophagus are removed from the duck .

After all the above steps have been completed, the carcass is thoroughly washed, dried and stored in the freezer.

How much does a duck eat before slaughter?

To get high-quality duckling, it is necessary to correctly formulate the diet of pets already at the stage of raising chicks, strictly observing age-appropriate standards.

Small ducklings are usually fed 5-6 times a day, adults - twice a day. The basis of the diet is grain crops, to which food waste, whey and meat and bone meal are added.

The most intensive fattening regime is introduced 2 weeks before slaughter: foods rich in protein, necessary for building muscle mass, are included in the food. If fattier meat is required, boiled potatoes and porridge are added a week before slaughter.

An approximate diet for poultry fattened for meat should include the following products:

• fresh chopped greens - 80 g;
• meat waste - 20–25 g;
• boiled potatoes - 80 g;
• mash of corn, barley or oats - 100 g;
• wheat bran - 40 g;
• grain waste - 40 g;
• cake and meal - 10 g;
• yeast - 1 g;
• chalk - 6 g;
• meat and bone meal - 3 g;
• salt - 1 g;
• small pebbles - 2 g.

Meat and bone meal

Preparation before slaughter

Duck slaughter for meat must be carried out after certain preparation:

1. Place the bird selected for slaughter on a starvation diet for at least 10–12 hours, most often overnight.
2. Place the individual in a separate room, in which the light must be turned on for the entire period of stay. This is necessary for the bird to empty its intestines.

At what age are favorite ducks slaughtered?

Experts recommend slaughtering poultry up to 5 months. Older individuals acquire a tough meat structure, and the intensity of weight gain is significantly reduced. Adult ducks

should be
slaughtered
only after feather moulting, after which no feather spokes remain on the skin.

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Processing methods

Plucking feathers from a duck carcass is not the most pleasant experience even for experienced housewives, but there are several ways to make this process easier.

Dry

This is the most common method of feather removal and the most labor-intensive, since it is done manually:

• lay the duck on a sheet of paper, pull out the feathers with your fingers: large ones are plucked in the direction of growth, small ones - in the opposite direction;
• the remaining hairs are singed over the fire, being careful not to heat the carcass to avoid melting the fat;
• After cleaning is completed, the bird is washed under running water.

Hot

This approach involves steaming the bird’s body:

• the fabric bag is soaked in boiling water and then wrung out well;
• the carcass is placed in a hot bag and tied tightly for 15–20 minutes;
• iron the plumage through the fabric with a hot iron;
• the bird is removed from the bag and plucked.

scalding method

The fastest way to process poultry, most often used by housewives:

• the duck is placed in a basin or other deep dish;
• heat the water to 80 °C;
• slowly pour over the carcass from all sides, then leave it in water for a quarter of an hour;
• they take the bird out of the water, let it drain, and then pluck the feathers;
• Upon completion of plucking, the remaining feathers are singed over the fire.

Plucking

There are different types of plucking - manual and mechanical. You need to choose based on your goals, availability of resources and, of course, personal preferences.

It is important to remember that you should not pluck immediately after slaughter, as there is a high probability of damaging the skin. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to wait at least three hours before starting plucking. This time is needed for the fat to harden. After all, it is thanks to fat that the skin will not be damaged when removing feathers. It is better to pull the feathers themselves in the direction of growth, otherwise the carcass will turn out to be bristly.

There are two main methods of hand plucking - dry and hot. Which one to choose is up to everyone to decide personally. It all depends on skills and preferences. The main thing to remember is that it is not speed that is important here, but the correct technique and compliance with all the nuances. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting a spoiled carcass with deteriorated taste. And the shelf life of such meat will be significantly shorter.

The dry method is one of the most popular and simplest techniques. It does not require any special devices, you only need water, preferably running water.

1. Place the carcass on a horizontal surface, having previously laid a tarpaulin or any dense material.
2. Treat the wings and tail first, then the back. First, large feathers, and pull them in the direction of growth. Then the chest and neck, where you need to remove the small feather.
3. Rip off the remaining fluff with a blunt knife or scorch it with fire, after treating the carcass with flour (we will look at it in more detail below).

Using this method, the main thing is not to spoil the skin. If it breaks, then the further process will be very difficult.

There are several types of hot method: scalding, steaming and hot wax.

Scalding is a very popular method. Plus, it doesn't take much time. You will need a large container and boiling water. The water must be heated to 80 degrees and the duck should be immersed in it for no more than 60 seconds. Then everything is the same as with dry plucking. You can pull out the feathers in any direction, but it’s a little more convenient to pull them out against their growth. When finished, singe the carcass.

Steaming - this method is not so popular, probably because it is not very well known. Supporters argue that it makes work faster and easier, while opponents say that, on the contrary, it only creates difficulties.

The essence of the method is as follows: immerse a bag (preferably made of fabric) in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Then, taking the necessary precautions, pull out, wring out and put the duck in it. Tie the bag, immerse it in water cooled to 80 degrees, and keep there for 6-7 minutes. Then remove the bag and iron the duck through the fabric with an iron heated to maximum. According to supporters of the method, feathers are pulled out without any effort. Next is singeing, as in previous methods.

Using wax. First, you need to remove the bird’s wings and leave its paws to make it more convenient to hold. Pluck the tail and pull out all the large feathers on the back and breast. Take two large pans, pour hot water into one and cold water into the other. Place the wax in a pan of hot water and wait until it melts.

Dip the duck there for 2-3 seconds so that the bird is completely covered with wax, then quickly transfer it to cold water for 3-4 minutes. Then pull out the duck and lightly press on it so that the wax cracks. All that remains is to remove the wax. The result is a clean carcass that no longer needs to be plucked; all the feathers will be removed along with the wax.

To make plucking easier for themselves, people have come up with machines that can quickly remove bird feathers. Such machines are called feather removal machines. Their operating principle is simple: as a basis, you can use any power tool that has an electric motor and is capable of rotating the rotor. This could be an electric drill, hammer drill or grinder. You also need a special nozzle, which is a round base with rubber elements protruding from it.

The unit must be secured well, the attachment must be put on and turned on. Bring the duck to the feather cleaner so that the rubber “fingers” begin to pull out the feathers. Similar to the actions of human fingers, only many times faster. Given the high rotor speed, the cleaning process takes about 10 minutes. This is, of course, a plus.

But there is also a minus. To use this method, you need to feel your electric assistant very subtly, otherwise the carcass may end up with not only damaged skin, but also twisted limbs.

Cutting meat

After removing the feathers from the bird, it is necessary to cut and gut it for further storage.

1. Before gutting the carcass, cut off the paws and wings. The paws are cut off below the heel joint, and the wings are cut off at their bend.
2. A T-shaped incision is made above the anus, through which the intestines and other internal organs and fat are removed.
3. A hole is cut in the neck through which the trachea and esophagus are removed.
4. Gutted poultry must be thoroughly rinsed in running water, inside and out. After this, the carcass must be thoroughly dried and cooled for several hours on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in a cool room.

If portion freezing is necessary, the bird can be cut into pieces. To do this you will need a sharp knife, pruning shears and cutting scissors.

1. Use a knife to cut off the legs, trying to make the cut closer to the back.
2. The wings are separated using pruning shears, getting as close to the spine as possible.
3. The easiest way to cut ribs is with scissors.
4. The fillet is cut along the spine, separating it with a knife. It is important to remove the sebaceous gland from it so as not to spoil the taste of the meat.
5. After cutting the duck, only the backbone remains, which can be used to prepare broth.

How to cut a duck after the oven?

HOW TO CARE ROASTED DUCK

1. Place the bird breast side down and make a cut along the entire length of the spine on either side, then place the bird on its back.
2. Then cut the meat from the frame, keeping the knife close to the bone. ...
3. Cut each duck half between the breast and legs, then cut the leg into two pieces at the crease.

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Meat storage

You can store a dressed carcass in different ways:

1. Poultry meat is stored for 3–5 days at a temperature of 0…4 °C, then it must either be cooked or frozen.
2. If it is impossible to use a refrigerator, the bird is placed in a cloth bag previously soaked in vinegar.
3. Another way to preserve meat is salting. This method is used on a whole duck, not cut into pieces. You need to prepare a solution of 300 g of salt and 1 liter of water. For 1 kg of duck weight you will need 150 g of solution. Using a syringe, the brine is poured down the throat, then the neck is tied and the duck is hung upside down for a day, then the brine is poured out.

So, having examined the features of duck slaughter, it can be noted that it is important to properly prepare for the process and strictly follow the technology for further cutting. This will allow you to avoid difficulties and enjoy wonderful and healthy meat.

Mulard ducks are a special hybrid form of poultry obtained by crossing the Indian duck and the Peking variety.

They are distinguished by a high productivity rate and are valued for the high taste qualities of not only meat, but also liver. This variety of poultry is used to produce the famous French delicacy foie gras.

Is it possible to breed Mulard ducks at home?

It is quite possible to breed this hybrid yourself. It is necessary to prepare male Beijing variety birds and female Indo-ducks for crossing.

If this is not possible, you can mate without adhering to this recommendation. It is enough to take females of one breed and drakes of another. The output will be hybrids. If desired, it is worth experimenting by crossing indo-ducks with different types of ducks.

It is better to entrust the hatching of eggs to a hen , since the yield of offspring in the incubator is noticeably lower. For successful hatching, the female must periodically swim to wet the eggs. For novice poultry farmers, it is recommended to initially buy ready-made ducklings of this breed in the spring. And start breeding after gaining sufficient experience.

Productivity

Hybrids are characterized by high productivity rates. They belong to the category of meat breeds. For 2-3 months. the bird gains 3.5-4 kg. And when it reaches 120 days, its weight is 6 kg. The fat ratio is minimal and reaches 3% of total body weight.

Mulards are also valued for the high taste of their liver. Its weight, when properly fed, reaches 550 g. The hybrid meat is tender and juicy. It does not have a specific smell, which is typical for other breeds. In terms of performance, it is compared to beef.

Mulard eggs are large in size and are consumed after heat treatment. They cannot be eaten raw due to the risk of developing salmonellosis. The feathers of hybrids have a dense structure. They are used as a filler for pillows, feather beds, and outerwear.

Features of keeping mulard ducks

The hybrid form of ducks must be raised in compliance with all requirements . If ignored, it will be difficult to achieve the desired productivity, since the lack of normal conditions will affect the immunity of the livestock.

Mulards are also valued for the high taste of their liver.

Beginning poultry farmers should study in advance all the features of keeping this type of bird in order to avoid significant losses.

Conditions of detention

Hybrids need an insulated room and a spacious area for walking. The required temperature is 15-25 degrees.

The optimal indoor humidity level is 60-70%. During the day, it is recommended to keep the house door open so that the ducks can freely enter if weather conditions worsen and they are tired.

You need to lay a warm straw bedding 10-15 cm high on the floor. This will create comfortable conditions in any weather. The litter needs to be changed regularly, because when it gets dirty, the likelihood of pathogens developing in it increases.

Attention! Hybrids are susceptible to drafts, which negatively affects their health.

Livestock should be housed at the rate of 3 adult flocks per 1 meter of area, for walking - 2 meters per 1 duck. There is no need for special reservoirs for hybrids; it is enough to fill a basin with water where they will bathe. This allows you to get a clean and high-quality pen.

Hybrids are not left for the winter, because their offspring are not needed. To obtain young animals, crossing is carried out annually.

The basis of proper care is the presence of a sufficient number of drinkers and bird feeders. It is important not only to ensure the right amount of food, but also free access. This will allow you to receive food without jostling and without throwing it on the floor.

Primary requirements:

1. Place containers for water and food at the rate of 12 ducks per duck. Their length is for mulards older than 2 months. should be 140-150 cm, width - 23-25 ​​cm. For younger ducklings, the length is 100 cm and width 15 cm. To prevent spillage, a bar must be installed on top of the containers to prevent the beak from being thrown back high.
2. Install deep drinking bowls in free access. Change the water in them regularly as they become dirty. Remove any remaining food from the feeders at night and rinse the containers.
3. It is recommended to whitewash the walls in the poultry house annually with slaked lime for the purpose of disinfection.
4. There is no need to fence the walking area unless there are special circumstances. Mulards belong to the category of calm birds. They do not create conflicts and do not leave their usual habitat on their own.

Breeding offspring

To obtain healthy young animals, it is necessary to crossbreed ducks at 10-12 months . For 4 females, 1 drake is needed. A male cannot be kept at the same time as females of his own breed, since he will only cover “his own”.

The most favorable period for crossing is the end of April - beginning of June. If the drake initially ignores the female, then you should not despair. He will cover it after adaptation.

Collect eggs for hatching 2-3 weeks after settling together. The collection lasts 7 days.

An Indian duck should be chosen as a hen. The nest for it is placed in a secluded place, and containers with water and food are placed nearby. It is recommended to place 15-20 eggs under it so that it can completely cover them. On the 30-31st day the chicks will appear.

Raising young animals

On the first day, the ducklings should be given a weak solution of potassium permanganate from a pipette, then fed with crushed boiled eggs. You need to sprinkle it on the backs of the ducklings, which will allow them to develop a grasping reflex. If the ducklings cannot take food on their own, they need help by putting food in each person’s mouth.

Young animals need to be fed three times a day

For the first 20 days, the chicks should be placed under an infrared heating lamp at a distance of 50 cm. Subsequently, turn on additional lighting in the poultry house using a 60 W light bulb per 3 meters of area. Do not turn off the lights at night for up to 2 months, as birds eat and grow better at this time of day.

Temperature for successful rearing of young animals:

Walking ducklings is carried out on the 3rd day after birth, if the temperature outside is not lower than 18 degrees.

For the first 7 days, young animals should be fed crushed grain with the addition of eggs. The mixture should be crumbly so that the crop does not become clogged. Starting from the 8th day, the egg should be replaced with boiled potatoes.

New components should be gradually introduced into the feed of young animals in small portions. There must always be water in the drinking bowl, because chicks often get clogged sinuses, and they must rinse them.

Important! From 2 weeks of age, it is important to add crushed duckweed, which will accelerate the development of the chicks and increase immunity.

The basis of nutrition during this period is bran and meat and bone meal: this will strengthen bone tissue. It is worth adding boiled carrots and fodder beets, chopped on a grater. If the young animals have a sagging belly, then vegetables should be temporarily excluded from the diet. Young animals need to be fed three times a day .

Separately place a container with crushed eggshells, shellfish and chalk. If necessary, each duckling will independently take the mineral mixture.

The following should be used as additional additives to the main feed:

• low fat cottage cheese;
• milk;
• yeast (1 g per 1 duckling).

Ducklings 1 month old. should be switched to two feedings a day, and additional complementary food will be grass when walking.

Possible diseases and vaccinations

Hybrids have increased resistance to infections.

But there are several diseases that appear in this breed:

1. Aspergillosis. A fungal disease that develops when maintenance standards are ignored. The cause of infection is moldy food and rotten bedding. Symptoms: lethargy, apathy, vomiting, heavy breathing. In the absence of therapy, paralysis of the limbs develops. For treatment, the cause of the spread should be eliminated, and then 15% copper sulfate should be added to the water and Nystatin to the feed.
2. Partial baldness. The reason is close housing, lack of vitamins and minerals. For treatment, it is necessary to enrich the diet with vitamin A, D and improve living conditions.
3. Cloacite. The pathology is characterized by protrusion of the mucous membrane of the inflamed cloaca. Ulcers and cracks form on the surface. The reason is a lack of vitamins A and D. For treatment, wounds are treated with iodine, and zinc or penicillin ointment is applied on top. The diet should also be enriched with deficient vitamins.
4. Polymorphosis . The cause of the disease is the polymorphus parasite, which affects the small intestine. Symptoms: weight loss, diarrhea, developmental delay. For treatment, Dichlorophene is added to the feed once at a rate of 0.5 mg per 1 kg of mixture. For prevention, a 0.1% solution of copper sulfate is used for drinking twice a week.

When growing hybrids in areas unfavorable for viral hepatitis, vaccination should be carried out. Vaccination is carried out using dry vaccine of the VGNKI strain.

The drug is administered intramuscularly into the thigh area with a dose of 0.5 ml per 1 duckling. Immunity is developed on the 4th day.

When can you cut?

Up to 3 months All nutrition goes towards building muscle mass, so the fat ratio will be minimal. At the age of 70 days, mulards molt, so slaughter should be carried out at 2 or 3 months.

Features of the face

Before slaughter, poultry should be prepared in advance. This will help simplify subsequent processing of the carcass.

Main stages of preparation:

• put the mulards on a starvation diet 10-12 hours before the procedure;
• place the birds in a separate room and leave the lighting on, which will help to empty the intestines.

In the morning you can start slaughtering.

Sequence of actions when performing the procedure:

1. Tie the paws and hang them upside down.
2. Press the wings to the back.
3. Pull back the neck and cut the carotid artery, while holding the knife at an angle to the neck.
4. Leave the carcass hanging for 15 minutes.
5. After the time has passed, remove, cut and remove the giblets.

Searing the carcass

This is a mandatory step that ends with almost every plucking method. It is necessary to singe in order to get rid of fluff and small hairs. The name itself says that this process requires an open fire.

After plucking, the carcass should be lightly sprinkled with flour, spread well and brought to the fire. Then slowly and carefully scorch the entire surface of the bird. But it is very important not to overheat it, as the subcutaneous fat may melt. When finished, rinse and remove any accumulated soot.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

The main disadvantage of this breed is the inability to produce offspring. But this drawback cannot outweigh its advantages.

Advantages of mulards:

• excellent meat yield:
• low maintenance requirements;
• high taste qualities of liver and meat;
• rapid weight gain;
• high level of profit.

This hybrid is suitable for personal gardening and professional cultivation. The popularity of this type of poultry is growing every year.

It should be taken into account that the cost of young Mulards is higher than ducklings of other breeds.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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Advantages of the breed

Muscovy ducks are valued by farmers primarily for their cleanliness and relatively calm disposition. The meat of this breed of bird is tasty and completely lean. However, Muscovy ducks have one rather serious drawback: they gain weight very slowly. The Pekingese breed is well known to all homestead owners. It is this duck that is bred in most cases in villages and suburban areas. The main advantage of this breed is its rapid weight gain. However, all farmers without exception consider Peking ducks to be extremely unclean and too noisy. In addition, their meat, in the opinion of the overwhelming majority of poultry house owners, is too fatty.