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[av_heading heading=’ URBAN FARMER’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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THE local duck industry in the country is expected to improve following the development of a genetically superior breeder duck called Itik Pinas or the IP.
The so-called superior breeder duck was a product of a continuous selection and breeding of the traditional Pateros duck.
The development has been covered by a project conducted by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCAARRD-DOST) and the National Swine and Poultry Research and Development Center of the Bureau of Animal Industry (NSPRDC-BAI).
Experts have said that the IP is an offshoot of PCAARRD’s Industry Strategic Science and Technology (S&T) Program or ISP on Duck, which aims to address the low and inconsistent egg production performance and product quality of the “mongrel” ducks as an effect of long term indiscriminate breeding practices of the local duck industry.
Compared with the traditional ducks found in the different parts of the country, the IP is said to produce more eggs of up to 55 pieces per duck per year, over that of the traditional mongrel ducks.
The egg of the IP is also consistent in terms of egg weight with at least 80 percent of egg produced that weigh 65 grams or more.
Because of the development, the Itik Pinas now has three available strains – two of which are the purelines now known as IP-Itim and the IP-Khaki, and one commercial hybrid line, known as the IP-Kayumanggi.
In Regions 3 and 4A where the IP was initially introduced, average egg production increased from 55 percent to about 70 percent.
While the consistency in egg quality, in terms of weight (65 grams), was also recorded.
Moreover, the project also observed sexual dimorphism in terms of plumage color in the IP-Kayumanggi ducklings.
It was learned that sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species.
This condition has been found to be advantageous to duck breeders as they eliminate sex identification at day-old (vent sexing), in effect, it reduces the cost of labor and day-old duckling mortality.
There are five committed private entrepreneurs engaged in the production, multiplication, and distribution on pre-arranged transactions of Itik Pinas from the provinces of Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija, together with BAI-NSPRDC.
In support to the development of the IP, a project on feeds and feeding systems to establish the nutrient requirement and suggested feed formulation for starter, grower, and layer is being conducted.
Also, Itik Pinas performance testing in Regions 2, 3, 4A, 6, 9, 11, and 12, and the development of product standards for the“balut” and salted eggs are all geared up for this year.
The IP implementing partners include the BAI-NSPRDC, Central Luzon State University (CLSU), University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB), Isabela State University (ISU), West Visayas State University (WVSU), Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA- RFO) 11 (Davao), Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU), and University of Santo Tomas (UST). (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
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