Effects of Production System and Gender on Liveweight and Body Measurements in Pekin Ducks

The purposes of this study were to determine the effects of different production systems and gender on the liveweight and body measurements in Pekin ducks. The effect of production system on the liveweight was significant at the 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age (P 0.05-P 0.001). The effect of production system on the body measurements were found to be significant (P 0.05-P 0.001), except for; a) the metatarsus and femur lengths at 2 weeks of age, b) the beak length at 4 weeks of age, c) the neck and trunk lengths, the beak and chest widths, the head and metatarsus diameters at 6 weeks of age, and d) the trunk and tibia lengths and the chest width at 8 weeks of age. The effect of gender on the liveweight was significant at the 6 and 8 weeks of ages (P 0.05-P 0.001). The effect of gender on the body measurements were not significant at 2 weeks of age and except for; a) the beak, metatarsus and femur lengths at 4 weeks of age, b) the trunk, wing and femur lengths, the chest girth and depth, the beak width at 6 weeks of age, and c) the wing, tibia and femur lengths, the chest depth and tibia diameter at 8 weeks of age (P 0.05-P 0.001). There was no interaction (P 0.05) between the production system and gender. The liveweight and body measurements were higher in deep litter bedding on the floor than those measured in the cage systems. The liveweight and body measurements were higher in males than those of females. Liveweight and body measurements increased with the age.