Description and characteristics of temp breed ducks, breeding rules and diet

Among the breeds of domestic waterfowl bred for meat, cross-tempo ducks stand out. They are so useful and profitable in homestead and farming that they have seriously displaced other representatives of meat duck breeds. Excellent taste, early maturity and unpretentiousness have made these birds one of the most common birds on farms of modest and large scales.

Description and characteristics of the breed

The ancestors of tempo ducks are two breeds: English cherry valley and Beijing. The result of the crossing was a new variation that immediately demonstrated exceptional advantages.The new ducks impressed with their egg production and rapid increase in carcass weight. The resulting breed was called the tempo duck, or cross tempo-1. Also received broiler ducks with the same name. The breed was developed in Russia. Tempo ducks are most widespread in the Russian Federation and Belarus.

The duck has a medium size, strong build, drakes are larger than females, the plumage is dense and white, smoothly fitting to the body. The legs and beak are orange. The head of tempo ducks is of medium size, on a long curved neck for this type of poultry. The tail is short and the wings are large, with a swan-like span.

Tempo ducks begin to lay eggs at six months, with up to 90% fertilized, so many chicks are hatched, up to 70% of the eggs are incubated or incubated.

Pros and cons of duck temp

Ducks of this breed are distinguished by the following positive characteristics:

1. Precocity - egg laying begins at 6 months.
2. In a year, a tempo duck can lay from 150 to 190 eggs.
3. The drake weighs up to 3 kilograms, the female – up to 2.5 kilograms.
4. Duck meat has a pleasant taste, no odor and low fat content, which sets tempo and its related cross-tempo avant-garde apart from other breeds of meat poultry.
5. Temp ducks are advantageous in that they can be used for a dual purpose: to produce eggs and meat, which brings additional benefits to the farmer or villager.
6. The vast majority of eggs in the clutch are fertilized, so many ducklings always hatch.

The disadvantages of the breed include the short breeding period for meat production, since after 55-60 days the ducks begin to eat three times more food to gain each kilogram of weight. However, this feature is also a plus, because it allows you to get the maximum amount of high-quality duck meat in two months.

Maintenance and care

Tempo ducks do not cause owners much trouble. To do this, the following conditions must be met:

1. Spacious poultry house. Ducks should not be crowded, otherwise they will not only fight, but also irritate each other and even peck eggs or pinch feathers.
2. The room must be insulated when keeping ducks year-round, for example, when breeding ducklings for sale or for eggs.
3. The poultry house must be equipped with everything necessary. It should contain nests, clean bedding, food, and drinking water in sufficient quantity and free access.
4. Lighting is important not only for collecting eggs or for cleaning the room, but also for regulating the laying process.
5. Ventilation is an important condition for the health of adult birds and offspring.
6. The presence of a duck run with access to a pond is welcome.
7. Cleanliness ensures the health of adult livestock and the safety of offspring, as it prevents the spread of diseases.

If the bird is raised as a broiler, it is important to provide it with adequate nutrition. To obtain dietary meat with a minimum amount of fat, it must be balanced, otherwise the duck will become obese.

What to feed?

The basis of feed for adult temp ducks is feed based on crushed grain.Ducklings need to be fed a wet mash into which dairy products are introduced: at first - low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, whey, buttermilk, and also finely chopped greens.

A bird that has access to a range independently pecks greens, small stones, invertebrates and insects. Access to a natural or artificial body of water is also very useful. Ducks don't just swim and bathe, as water is their natural way of life. They also love duckweed and algae, rich in vitamins and other nutrients.

If ducks are deprived of the opportunity to swim in a river, lake or pond, as well as for feeding in the winter, livestock owners store algae for future use or buy ready-made additives from them.

Subtleties of reproduction

To obtain a large number of birds for growing for meat, it is better to use incubation. This simplifies the process and allows you to achieve a large number of chicks at the same time.

Incubation lasts from 26 to 28 days, the yield of ducklings reaches 70%. The young are strong and resilient, little susceptible to disease. Almost from the moment of hatching, tempo ducklings are fed hard-boiled chopped eggs; from the fifth day of life, lean cottage cheese and finely chopped greens are introduced. From the week of week, boiled root vegetables are added, and from the age of ten days, the ducklings can be supplemented with crushed waste from the kitchen and garden. Crushed egg shells are added to the food.

Rapid growth and weight gain are ensured by a high-quality, balanced diet. It is necessary to add minerals, dairy waste and herbs to the mash. Exercise is also important for the normal growth of ducklings, and also for the reproduction rate of ducks.Adult birds can walk all day in good weather, and ducklings can be released to graze at the age of 3 weeks.

Prevention and treatment

Temp ducks are an unpretentious breed, without a tendency to any specific diseases. They may suffer from diseases common to all ducks, but with proper maintenance and feeding, mass infections and mortality of the bird can be avoided.

For prevention, ducks are given:

1. Drinking water tinted with manganese potassium in a pale pink shade.
2. Fish fat.
3. Bone meal.
4. Crushed shells.
5. Limestone.
6. Special mineral supplements.

Don't miss the opportunity to let the bird graze on the grass. It is good for the body, strengthens the immune system, as it contains a large amount of vitamins. Algae, which waterfowl actively eat in the water, also have the same properties.

It is equally important to keep the tempo ducks clean. At the same time, you need to thoroughly clean not only the poultry house, but also the paddock, as well as regularly wash and disinfect containers for water and feed, nests, and replace the litter. Then the bird will be healthy and strong, will not get sick and actively reproduce.