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Effects of dietary protein level during rearing period and age at overfeeding on magret and foie gras quality in male mule ducks
Author(s) -
Arroyo Julien,
Molette Caroline,
Lavigne Franck,
Margetyal Carole,
Amador Olivier,
Dubois JeanPierre,
FortunLamothe Laurence
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12941
Subject(s) - zoology , dietary protein , biology , period (music) , body weight , endocrinology , physics , acoustics
Abstract The aim of this trial was to study the effects of dietary protein content during the rearing period on the performance of mule ducks, according to age at overfeeding (O). Ducks ( n = 612) were divided into four groups differing in the protein content in the diet offered during the starting period ( S , 0–20 days; S l vs. S h : 150 vs. 175 g/kg crude protein (CP)) and growing‐finishing period (GF; 21–67 or 81 days, depending on age at O; GF l vs. GF h : 133 vs. 152 g/kg CP). The relative weight of pectoral muscle was lower when ducks were fed a low protein diet during S (−5%, P < 0.01) or GF period (−6%, P < 0.001) at 68 days and higher in ducks of the S l GF h group (+6%; P < 0.05) at 82 days. Both foie gras and magret weights fell when ducks were fed S l or GF l ( P < 0.05 and < 0.01). Mortality during the O period was higher in ducks fed the S l diet and overfed at late age (7.4% vs. 0%; P < 0.01). In conclusion, a reduction in the dietary protein supply should be recommended only during the GF period for ducks overfed at a late age.