Author : Anucha Saengsophon

Summary : One hundred and twenty (120) mallard ducklings were used in an experiment of two phases to measure the effect of dried poultry waste (DPW) incorporation in the diets of ducklings as a replacement for rice bran. DPW was incorporated at the levels of 0, 5, 10 and 15 percent in the brooding period (Phase I). In Phase II, the growing period, the levels used were: 0, 7, 13 and 20 percent. After 8 week sin Phase 1, no significant differences were obtained in all parameters used in comparing all treatment data. However, growth rate and final body weights of the ducklings were slightly higher from treatments with DPW at levels of 5, 10, and 15 percent than the rice bran treatment. Feed consumption increased as the level of DPW increased. Feed conversion efficiency was lower in all the DPW levels than the rice bran diet, except at 5 pecent DPW. Mortality was not affected by DPW. In Phase 11, there was a similar pattern of results in growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and mortality records as was observed in Phase 1. DPW at 7, 13 and 20 percent of the diet was as good as, but in some cases slightly better than, the counterpart combination of rice bran. The economic evaluation indicated that the incorporation of DPW in the diet was not economical when DPW has the same price as rice bran. The amount of feed left in the pan of drinking water was about 7 g of dry mash matter in a period of 24 hours for each duck at about 15 weeks of age. Chemical analysis of dry matter mash feed recovered from the drinking pan that came from treatments with DPW had consistently higher contents of crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus than the rice bran diet.