| dc.description.abstract | An experiment has been conducted to asses the optimum stocking density for Alabio ducks, based on their productive and physiological responses. Five hundred Alabio female ducks were reared under
the same condition up to two weeks of age and were then transferred to two floor systems (deep litter and slatted bamboo floor) and five stocking densities (10, 215, 20, 25 and 30 birds/m ). At six weeks of age stocking density were changed to 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 birds/m2 for the remainder of the experiment. Three replicates of 15 birds were used per treatment. The experimental design, was the split-plot block. Parameters measured were body weight gain, water used, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, mortality, weight of spleen, adrenal and thyroid glands, hematocrit, some blood biochemical levels, micro climate in the pens. Some behavioural observations were also made.
The results of the experiment at two to six weeks of age showed that high stocking density had a significantly effect on retarding growth, reducing feed efficiency, increasing mortality, reducing spleen absolute weight, reducing serum triglycerides level, increasing temperature in pens and causing poorer feathering condition. | id |
