To ensure adequate feed and water hygiene, a number of principles should be observed:
- Feed quality should be checked regularly by means of a sensory assessment with regard to the parameters in Table 4. If any quality defects are found in the feed, it should be replaced immediately with feed of impeccable quality.
| Parameter | Compound feed (ground/pellets) | Cereals |
| Texture | dry, damp, moist Temperature (heated), caking, webs, foreign matter, abrasion content in pelletised feed | dry, damp, moist Temperature (heated), caking |
| Odour | musty, mouldy, yeasty, alcoholic (yeast contamination), sweetish (mite contamination), rancid (fat spoilage), putrid/carcass-like (protein degradation) | musty, mouldy, putrid, sweetish, yeasty, alcoholic, roasted aroma, stable or chemical odour, fishy (stone burn) |
| Taste | scratchy, burnt -> indication of fat/feed spoilage | unpleasantly bitter -> indication of immaturity or fungal contamination |
| Colour | washed-out – grey – dirty, white/yellow, green, blue discolouration Skin surface: diffuse greying or dark discolouration (-> black mould) | Intense, clear colour typical of the grain, dirty-grey, black-brownish, red-violet (stained), green (immaturity), reddish (Fusarium contamination) |
| Contaminants | Insects or insect fragments, rodent droppings, other (glass splinters, ‘silo residues’), various types of pellets (diameter, colour, structure) | Sandy-earthy impurities, seedlings, admixtures (chaff, rodent droppings, foreign bodies), storage pests such as grain weevils, mites, etc. |
<figcaption>Table 4: Sensory assessment of selected feedstuffs (adapted from Kamphues et al., 200913</figcaption>
- For the first 20 days, the animals are fed a starter feed with an energy content of approximately 12.0 MJ ME and a crude protein content of 21%. The subsequent grower feed also contains 12 MJ ME energy and 18–18.5% crude protein. The feed is provided ad libitum. In the first few days, it should also be made available to the animals in feed bowls placed on the floor. No preventive coccidiostats must be7, 11 added to the feed. Should a coccidial infection occur, the attending vet may prescribe an appropriate medication.
- The best-before date of the feed should not be exceeded, as prolonged storage, particularly under suboptimal conditions, can adversely affect the quality of the feed.
- If using your own water (tap water) to water the animals, regular (e.g. annual) microbiological and chemical-physical testing is recommended.
- An important factor in ensuring the animals have fresh water every day is the regular flushing of the pipes and cleaning of the water troughs (particularly after the use of veterinary medicines or feed supplements via the drinking system, as well as after prolonged periods of disuse).
- The use of additives such as chlorine dioxide or organic acids is a suitable way of keeping drinking water pipes clean. These can, for example, be added to the drinking water via special dosing systems. The manufacturer’s instructions for use should always be followed. Physical methods such as pulse flushing (alternating air and water pulses) can also remove or prevent deposits in the pipes. However, the use of these additives does not replace regular external cleaning of the drinking facilities, e.g. round drinkers.
- Providing an (additional) open water supply to keep the ducks occupied always carries the risk of the litter becoming waterlogged and of a higher bacterial load, which can lead to an increased risk of disease in the animals. Measures should be taken to prevent this. Excess water can be drained away via (plastic) grates beneath the drinking area (in Lower Saxony: use of perforated floors covering a maximum of 80% of the usable area4). It should be noted that the water must be collected and it must be possible to pump it out and, for example, spread it on arable land. Regularly moving the drinkers and regularly replenishing the litter can also counteract the litter becoming waterlogged. Furthermore, the drinking water in open drinkers should be changed daily.
Feed and water consumption
Feed and water consumption per bird is influenced by several factors, such as temperature, light intensity, feed and water quality, and drinking technology:
- Water consumption is approximately 44 litres per drake per cycle and 26 litres per duck per cycle
- Feed consumption is approximately 14.6 kg per drake per cycle and 8 kg per duck per cycle
- Significant variations in feed intake may indicate illness in the birds or faulty equipment
- Variations in water consumption are not necessarily linked to changes in drinking water intake, but can often be attributed to the birds’ interaction with freely available water
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The respective management recommendations of the breeding companies can be used as a guide
| Week of life | Drake | Duck | ||
| Feed (g/bird per day) | Water (ml/bird per day) | Feed (g/animal per day) | Water (ml/animal per day) | |
| 1 | 12 | 100 | 10 | 100 |
| 2 | 31 | 200 | 28 | 200 |
| 3 | 71 | 320 | 52 | 340 |
| 4 | 126 | 440 | 104 | 380 |
| 5 | 183 | 480 | 138 | 400 |
| 6 | 232 | 540 | 176 | 400 |
| 7 | 245 | 570 | 167 | 400 |
| 8 | 262 | 600 | 149 | 400 |
| 9 | 232 | 600 | 128 | 400 |
| 10 | 200 | 600 | 109 | 400 |
| 11 | 182 | 600 | 89 | 400 |
| 12 | 153 | 600 | ||
| 13 | 154 | 600 | ||