Cherry Valley Synthesis

Three hundred day old ducklings, (100 Cherry valley ducks, 100 Moulard and 100 Pekin) allotted into indoor group; where ducklings within each breed were brooded and reared without any outdoor access until they were slaughtered and outdoor group; where ducklings were allowed to an outdoor access from 3rdweek of age.
The obtained results showed that Cherry valley ducks exhibited high percentage of feeding, drinking, panting and total body care behavior than Moulard and Pekin. Total confinement of ducks resulted in much feeding (2.16+0.38), drinking (5.79+0.67), standing
(24.62+2.53), preening, wing stretching, wing and leg stretch, panting, total body care
(25.59+1.78), floor exploration and total exploratory behavior (2.02+0.35) and aggressive
Moreover, Pekin ducks gain significantly heavier weight gain at 2nd week of age while, during 4th, 6th and 8th week of age Cherry valley gained significantly heavier weight gain than Moulard and Pekin; at 6th week of age. Rearing ducks in closed housed resulted in non-significant reduction in the body weight of ducks during the 8th week of age, while during 4th week of age ducks in closed system had significantly higher body weight and weight gain than those under outdoor system (1275.88+11.95 and 870.97+8.72 g vs.
1223.98+11.67 and 803.72+8.44 g, respectively). On contrary rearing of ducks in outdoor system resulted in higher body weight gain during 6th, 8th week and total weight gain
(2829.03±29.70 vs. 2774.68±31.97 g).
There were no significant differences between the three ducks breed for the Phagocytic activity after the 3rd and 7th day of vaccination and Phagocytic index although however, the Pekin ducks had significantly higher Phagocytic index after 7th day of vaccination than
Cherry valley and Moulard ducks. Moreover, Keeping ducks in closed system