Domestic
Ducks are generally produced for getting meat and eggs. Many duck breeds are
kept as pets, for shows, or used for adornment purposes. Nearly all types of
domestic ducks (excluding Muscovy ducks) are descendants of the mallard.
Domestication
The
‘Mallard ducks’ were initially tamed in Southeast Asia about 4000 years ago,
and these ducks were also farmed by “Romans” in Europe, and “Malays” in Asia.
In ancient Egypt, the ducks were kept in the nets and formerly bred in
captivity.
Almost
all types of domestic-ducks excluding “Muscovy” were bred through the ‘Mallard’.
The housebreaking has greatly changed their physiognomies. The domestic-ducks
are generally bigamous, whereas, the wild-mallards are mostly monogamous. The domestic-ducks
have lost the territorial behavior like as mallards and also they found to be less
aggressive than mallards. In spite of these variances, domestic-ducks often
mate with wild mallard, producing fully fertile hybrid descendants.
Pets and
The
domestic ducks can be retained as house pets in the garden or backyard. These
ducks usually remain with a pond or deep-water bowl. If they are allowed to remain
with a pond, they experiment in the mud, searching out and eating wildlife and
frog brood. They can swallow matured frogs up to the size of commonly found
frog “Rana Temporaria” because they have been produced bigger than the wild ducks.
The
ducks are also kept as pets due to their decorative and attractive nature. Some
duck breeds have also been produced with crests, tufts, or striking plumage for
participation in competition shows.
Domestic Duck As food
From
the ancient times, ducks are being eaten as food. Generally, breast and
thigh meat is only eaten. Before preparation for the meat, these ducks not to
be hanged. They are usually cooked or roasted and occasionally spiced with
bitter orange. In Beijing (China), Peking duck is a famous dish of roast-duck
which is being prepared since ancient times. It is now usually served with “spring
pancakes”, “spring onions” and “sweet bean sauce”.
Ducks Farming
Farming
of ducks was started thousands of years ago. In the western countries, ducks are
not as more common as chickens because the meat of chickens is whiter, easier
to keep confined, and cheaper than duck’s meat. However, the duck’s meat is more
expensive. Although very common in haute cuisine, the ducks seem less
frequently in the food industry and restaurants at a lower price. These ducks are
more common in China and they are produced widely.
The
ducks are raised for their meat and eggs. A limited number of ducks are kept
for “foie gras” production. While slaughtering these ducks, their blood is
collected to use in many cultures' dishes in some areas. The colors of eggs are
blue-green to white depending on the duck breeds.
Foods and Habitats
Domestic
ducks can be kept in open surroundings, in the cage or in sheds. They enjoy more
while swimming in water. Domestic ducks can be fed on grains or they like insects
as their diet. It is a common misconception about ducks that they should be fed
on bread. The bread has partial nutritious value and it can be harmful to grow
baby ducks. The ducks must be checked regularly because of they often prone to avian
influenza which caused by the H5N1 strain.
Ducks Breeding
Some
female ducks do not sit on their eggs for raising babies. Therefore, their eggs
are put under broody hens for hatching. This practice is to continue from
centuries but now incubator has replaced this exercise. Though, young ducklings
rely on their mothers for getting preen-oil to make their body waterproof, however,
the chicken hens do not make as much preen-oil as a female duck while the incubator
produces nothing. Once the baby ducks grow their feathers, they produce preen-oil
from “sebaceous gland” which found from the base of their tails.
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