In this article we will discuss about the duck rearing in India.
Duckery is a very good income generating occupation for small and marginal farmers. This can be even reared by landless classes and women. Duck rearing seems to be a new enterprise to farmers in dry areas, but it is also a major source of income for farmers in southern and eastern coastal areas, northeastern India and Jammu and Kashmir.
Duck rearing is prevalent among weaker sections of rural population which provides them supplementary and steady income on daily basis. Duck eggs provide nutrition to the family of the farmer. Duck rearing, engaging family labour in their leisure hours, generates rural employment.
Duck domestication dates back in Roman literature around 2000 years ago. Today among the duck producing countries of the world, Vietnam, Poland, Indonesia, Thailand, United States, Brazil, China, Bangladesh are rated among the best in decreasing order.
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In India, Gujarat State has higher land under inland water (ponds or water holes), particularly in South Gujarat region. In this area tribal communities keep duck for production of eggs and meat, which are considered to be poor man’s poultry productions available at affordable prices. West Bengal has the highest duck population followed by Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Tripura.
Duck rearing can be done in all Indian states. Marshy riversides, wetlands, ponds, tanks, barren moors, etc. are good for ducks rearing. Land based duck farming is being recently started on artificial water stores, near big cities on small and large commercial scale.
Weaker and disorganised sections of people are mostly involved in duck rearing. Therefore, considering duck rearing as an effective tool for socioeconomic development of rural masses, a scientific approach in rearing ducks have been initiated recently by Government of India.
A central duck breeding farm at Hassarghata, Bangalore, supplies improved duck birds of “Khaki Campbell” and “Indian Runner” (produce around 250-300 eggs per year) at subsidised rates to the farmers.
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It also imparts training in duck rearing. Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has launched many programmes on integrated farming systems, such as duck cum fish farming, where the droppings of duck serve as feed to fish and some trash fish can be used as duck feed.
Duck-cum-crop farming, where weeds in the field, by-products of the crops, are broken, and shrivelled grains can be used as duck feed. Although duck is an aquatic bird, yet swimming in water is not essential for them. However, they need to wet or clean their heads in water at times. Their eyes and bills need cleaning. For this, waterers should be sufficiently deep enough to dip their heads.