[RETRACTED ARTICLE] Assessing the productivity of BLRI-developed native ducks compared to indigenous ducks: Management and profitability in conventional farming systems in Bhanga, Faridpur, Bangladesh

This article has been withdrawn at the initiative of the authors due to the need to clarify the results of the study. The authors have found that the data presented in the paper requires additional analysis and verification to ensure its full reliability. The decision to retract was made in order to preserve scientific ethics and avoid the dissemination of potentially incorrect information. The manuscript will be withdrawn from the publisher's database, the copyright remains with the authors of the article. Withdrawal date: 28.01.2025. This study aimed to disseminate BLRI-1 (Rupali) and BLRI-2 (Nageswari) ducks and evaluate their productive potential compared to indigenous ducks under existing farming conditions in the Bhanga upazila of Faridpur. The experiment followed a completely randomised design, with BLRI-developed native ducks as the treatment group and indigenous ducks as the control group. Data on the productive performance of BLRI-developed native ducks were collected and compared with local germplasm. The highest average growth performance was recorded for Rupali male ducks, which reached 1,505.62 g by 24 weeks, compared to 1,486.07 g for Nageswari male ducks. The highest egg production was observed in Nageswari ducks, with 192.00 ± 5.70 eggs, followed by Rupali ducks with 181.33 ± 7.55 eggs. Approximately 84.4% of farmers vaccinated their ducks against duck plague and duck cholera. Disease outbreaks were prevalent, with the highest incidences of duck plague and duck cholera observed in native ducks. Farmers achieved the highest benefit-cost ratio of 1.60 with Rupali ducks, while the lowest ratio of 1.30 was recorded for indigenous ducks. The overall ratio for duck rearing was 1.49. Disease outbreaks were identified as the major constraint to duck farming, affecting 73.3% of farmers. The findings underscore the productive performance and economic viability of BLRI-developed ducks. The study highlighted the importance of breed-specific management strategies, including improved housing, feeding, and disease management practices, and recommended farmer training to enhance the profitability of duck farming