Meat quality traits and sensory evaluation of Muscovy and Aylesbury ducks reared in the humid tropics

This study aimed to determine the effects of sex and strain on the meat yield and sensory qualities of Muscovy and Aylesbury ducks reared in the humid tropics. Sex, strain and the interaction of sex and strain have been reported by various researchers to significantly affect the growth and carcass analysis of Poultry birds in Nigeria. There is limited evaluation of Muscovy and Aylesbury ducks in this region. The study was conducted in the Poultry Unit of Teaching and Research Farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. One hundred and eighty (180) sexed ducklings, comprising 90 each of Muscovy and Aylesbury ducks, were randomly allotted to four treatment groups in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 15 birds per replicate. The birds were reared for 20 weeks. At the end of the rearing period, 12 birds (one per replicate) of average body weight per replicate were selected and slaughtered. Different meat yield parameters were recorded, and sensory analysis was conducted. Data collected were analysed using SPSS version 20 for Windows. They were no significant differences in the effect of sex on the meat yield but significant differences was recorded in the effects of breed on the Defeathered weight (2003g, 1815g), Breast meat % (18.30, 17.95), Thigh meat % (8.05, 6.31), Drumstick meat % (8.83, 6.33), Breast bone % (5.21, 4.70), Thigh bone % (3.62, 3.50) with the Muscovy ducks having the higher values. In the interaction effect of sex and strain on the meat yield, they were significant differences in the live weight (2320g, 1811.45 g), Defeathered weight (2100.67 g, 1504.00g), Breast meat% (25.84, 10.32), Thigh meat% (12.87, 7.88), Drumstick meat % (10.53, 6.25), Breast meat to bone ratio (6.88, 4.03) with the Muscovy male recording the highest values while the Aylesbury male recorded the lowest values. In the sensory evaluation, the Aylesbury ducks had the better acceptability (7.67, 6.20) compared to Muscovy ducks. Also, Aylesbury ducks had a higher coefficient of variation in most of the parameters measured. Muscovy ducks had a higher meat yield, while the Aylesbury ducks were more acceptable. The higher variability in meat yield also suggests the potential for selective breeding to improve the meat yield of Aylesbury ducks.