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regions in rainy season. One upazila from each could be solved. In terms of profitability, income
district and three villages from each upazila were and employment generation, duck rearing appeared
selected randomly. Fifty farmers were selected to be a promising sub-sector.
from each village at random, based on the duck
population of farmers having at least 5 ducks 495 RAHMAN, M.M.; MOSTAFA, M.G.
throughout the year. Thus, a total of 300 farmers (Dept. of Livestock Services, Govt. of the People's
were selected for this study. Primary data was Republic of Bangladesh); KHAN, M.J. &
collected by using an interview schedule. Results SHAHJALAL, M. (Dept. of Animal Nutrition,
showed that the majority of the farmers (38.5%) Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh).
belonged to middle-age category. About 30% of Effect of Feed Supplementation on Production
the farmers have got primary level of education. Potentiality and Carcass Characteristics of three
About half of the respondents (50%) had large Genotypes of Scavenging Ducklings in Coastal
family size. The average number of persons per Area of Bangladesh. Bang. J. Anim. Sci., 2006, 35
family was seven. Most of the farmers (27%) had (1 & 2), 91-98.
small land size with an average of 1.03 ha of land
per household Sixty one per cent of the Production potentiality and carcass characteristics
respondents considered agriculture as a main of three genotypes (Muscovy, Pekin and
occupation. Ninety nine per cent farmers annually Indigenous duck) of scavenging ducklings were
earned Taka 1501.00 from duck rearing. The investigated for a period of 98 days with day old
majority of the farmers (82%) involved in rearing ducklings in three villages of Noakhali district
Deshi ducks followed by Crossbred (12%) and following 3 × 3 factorial experiment in a
Hybrid (6%). Forty five per cent of the respondents Randomized Block Design. All birds were given
cleaned their duck houses 2-3 times in a month equal amount of mash feed composed of 50% rice
whereas only 11 per cent cleaned their duck houses polish, 30% broken rice and 20% wheat bran.
everyday, 21 per cent once in month, 18 per cent 4- Three ducks from each genotype were slaughtered
th
6 times in a month and 5 per cent fanners cleaned at 6, 10 and 14 week of age to study dressing
their duck houses 7-10 times in a month. Sixty two percentage. Live weight gain and feed conversion
per cent farmers reared ducks in scavenging ratio were highest in Muscovy compared to Pek in
condition with only natural feed resources and only and indigenous duck. The Muscovy attained the
38 per cent farmers used supplemental feed, highest dressing yield percentage followed by
mainly rice polish in an amount of 63g daily. The Pekin and indigenous duck. Genotypes and age at
majority of the farmers (85.5%) in both districts slaughter had a significant effect on dressing yield
did not use vaccines against duck diseases. (P<0.01). Muscovy ducklings with the
However, 9 per cent of the farmers buried their supplementation of 10 g mash feed daily during the
dead ducks somewhere else. Results showed that first week and with an increase of 10 g in each
th
79 per cent egg production was found in rainy week until 6 week of age was found to be
season followed by winter (13%) and summer appropriate for meat producing scavenging bird for
(8%). It was found from the study that most of the the farmers of coastal regions of Bangladesh.
farmers (70%) preferred to sell their eggs and
ducks to the foria and in local market. It was also 636.92 : AGRICULTURE : RABBITS
observed that duck raising would be more
profitable business if the problems related to it
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