Duck production strategy and profile of duck farmers in the coastal areas of Bangladesh

摘要

Duckproductionstrategyandprofileofduckfarmerswerestudiedintwocoastaldistricts(NoakhaliandLakshmipur)ofBangladesh.Theobjectivesweretoassessthepotentialityofexistingduckfarmingpractices,provideaprofileoftheduckfarmersandtoidentifytheconstraintsofduckhusbandryintheregion.Twoupzilas(sub-districts)fromeachdistrictand50farmersfromeachupazilawereselectedtoconductasurvey.nbsp;Datawerecollectedbyusinganinterviewschedule.Resultsshowedthatthemajorityofthefarmers(43.25%)belongedtomiddleagedgroup.About32.5%ofthefarmersreceivedprimaryeducationand32%couldsignonly.About90%oftheduckfarmerswerehousewives.Mostoftherespondents(30%)reportedthattheirduckhousesweremadeoftinandwood.nbsp;About91.5%farmersrearedindigenous(desi)ducksandtheywereinvolvedinproductionbyfollowingfreerangescavengingsystem.Mostofthefarmers(95%)fedmixedwetfeedandusedricepolish,brokenriceandboiledriceassupplementalfeedseitheraloneorincombination.Halfoftherespondentssupplementedfeedsfrombothcommercialandhome-madesourcesand47%ofthefarmersprovidedtheirhome-grownfeedingredients.Mostofthefarmersinthestudyareasopinedthatscarcityandhighpriceoffeedduringdryseason(summer)werethemajorconstrainsaffectingproduction.Iftheywereinapositiontousethenaturalfeedresourcesinanincreasingmanner,theycouldovercomethefeedproblem.Annualeggproductionofscavengingdesiduckswasfoundtorangefrom51to70eggs/duck/yearandmaximumeggproductionwasobtainedintherainyseason.nbsp;DuckPlagueandDuckCholerawerethecommondiseasesthreateningduckproductionbut82.5%farmershadnoaccesstovaccinesandthereforefailedtovaccinatetheirbirdsagainstthemajordiseases.ThestudyindicatesthattherearegreatpotentialsforanimprovementofnativeduckpopulationincoastalareasofBangladeshthroughnutritionalandmanagementengineering.