Ducks are one of the most popular birds to keep at home. They are characterized by unpretentiousness, rapid growth and weight gain. Duck meat has a specific taste and a high content of beneficial microelements. In order to maintain the commercial quality of the carcass and the taste value of the meat, it is important to carry out the duck slaughter procedure correctly. Be sure to consider the appropriate time and follow the step-by-step instructions.
When can you slaughter a duck?
In total, more than a dozen breeds of these birds have been bred.Ducks are raised before slaughter both in private yards and on large farms. Among the most common breeds are the Pekingese, Musk, or Indochka, and Moscow White. Mulards, interspecific hybrids for meat production, deserve special attention.
Slaughter begins if the duck is at least 56 days old. The optimal average time frame is 60-75 days. During this time, individuals gain sufficient slaughter weight, their body is overgrown with a small layer of healthy fat. The turkey is slaughtered when its weight reaches 2-2.5 kg. The Mulard carcass should weigh 3 kg, and the Peking duck carcass should weigh at least 2.5 kg.
At the age of 3 months, the growth of individuals slows down, and a change in plumage begins - molting. Immature and young feathers become coarser, become stiff, and stumps or tubercles appear on the skin of ducks. It becomes problematic to pluck a carcass properly after slaughter. The meat of an “overripe” domestic duck acquires an unpleasant aftertaste and becomes dry.
Preparing the bird
This is the first stage of the upcoming slaughter. The taste and type of meat and the commercial properties of the duck carcass depend on the quality of the preparatory actions. It is recommended to begin preparation in the evening, since the most suitable time for slaughter is morning.
Be sure to perform a number of actions:
- Place the selected duck in a cage or separate pen.
- The room should have a grated bottom to prevent the duck from pecking at the ground and its droppings.
- Do not feed 10-14 hours before slaughter (skip evening feeding).
- Leave water and provide free access.
Leave electric lighting on all night before slaughter. This provokes disorientation of the body.Leftover food is digested faster, and water helps to more effectively cleanse the duck’s intestines and stomach. To speed up the process, it is allowed to give a 2% solution of Glauber's salt to provide a laxative effect.
Required tools and materials
There are a number of sanitary and hygienic requirements for the place where ducks are slaughtered. The main ones are cleanliness and the availability of water supply for washing processed duck carcasses, dishes, tables and tools. The scorer's clothing must be changeable.
Preliminary preparation of equipment is required - scalding or disinfection.
Equipment and tools required for slaughtering:
- Wall with attached hooks for hanging ducks.
- Cone for fixation.
- A saucepan for draining blood.
- Basin or bucket for waste.
- A sharp cleaver or knife.
- Cellophane film.
- Rope or tape to secure the wings.
- Gutting table.
- Boiling water for scalding duck carcasses immediately after slaughter (so that there are no stumps on the skin).
How to kill a duck?
Several methods have been developed for killing domestic birds. The general condition is to drain all the blood from the duck being slaughtered. With insufficient bleeding, partial or complete redness of the skin occurs. Also, the remaining blood is a favorable environment for the emergence of pathogens. The breeder chooses the specific method of duck slaughter based on personal experience.
Artery dissection
The duck is hung upside down by its legs, the wings are firmly secured with rope or tape. The second option is to completely fix the duck in a special cone. Then they pull back the bird's neck and cut the artery in one sharp movement. The knife is not held perpendicular to the neck, but with a slight tilt forward.You can chop no more than 1-2 ducks at a time in this way, since the preparation is quite long.
| pros | Minuses |
| 1. Lack of labor effort.
2. “Purity” of the process. 3. There are no open wounds on the body.
|
1. You can only slaughter 1-2 ducks per day.
2. Preliminary preparation (tying, fixing). 3. Knowledge of the anatomical structure of a duck. |
Using an ax
This is a traditional and common method for slaughtering birds at home quickly and easily. To kill a duck, it is placed on its side on a log or block. One wing becomes pressed to the block, the second is held by the farmer himself. The head is cut off with one blow of the ax, and in the next 2-3 minutes the duck is held until the death convulsions have completely passed. An ax or cleaver completely cuts the windpipe and blood vessels, and the bird dies instantly.
| pros | Minuses |
| 1. Speed and quick effect.
2. Simple technology. 3. The ability to kill a large number of ducks in a short time. |
1. Open cuts remain on the neck.
2. Risk of rapid spoilage of meat. 3. Severe death convulsions. |
Cutting Tips
Cutting up a domestic duck can be produced according to the developed algorithm. The first step is to carefully cut off the neck, leaving a piece of skin to disguise the cut/wound. Then they work with the legs and wings of the duck. The paws are cut off at a distance of 2-4 cm from the heel joint, the wings are cut off at the first joint.
Next, the belly is cut and all the giblets are removed. The stomach and lungs are washed and stored separately. Be sure to cut off the abdominal fat and the coccygeal (sebaceous) gland in the back. These elements often spoil the taste of duck meat when cooked. The crop and esophagus are removed through an incision at the bottom of the neck. After this, the duck is thoroughly washed and dried, the carcass is ready for storage.
Duck slaughter is an important process, the technology of which every bird breeder should be familiar with. Slaughter begins when the individuals are 60-70 days old. At this time, their meat is tender and dietary, there are no fatty growths.
If you delay the delivery, the quality of the carcass will deteriorate: hemp will appear and the meat will become tough. The most popular techniques for slaughtering ducks are cutting off the head or cutting the artery.
