Indian Journal of Poultry Science

The effect of dietary crude fibre levels (8 and 12%) and enzyme supplementation on production performance of indigenous layer ducks from 21–56 weeks of age was evaluated. Two hundred female ducks were divided in to five treatment groups each having four replicates of ten ducks each. The group T₁ was fed with a diet containing 18.03% crude protein (CP), 2552Kcal/kg metabolizable energy (ME) and 8.02% crude fibre (CF). In the other four groups T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ the dietary crude fibre level increased to 11.86% and supplemented with Polyzyme at 0, 0.06, 0.12 and 0.18% levels, respectively. The body weight of ducks at 40 weeks of age was not significantly affected either by crude fibre levels or enzyme supplementation in the diet. The body weight of layer ducks at 52 weeks of age was significantly (P<0.05) higher in 0.18 per cent enzyme supplemented group (T₅) than the group fed with 8% CF diet (T₁). The cumulative duck housed egg number from 21 to 56 weeks of age in all the 12% CF diet groups were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of 8% CF group (T₁) with highest value in 0.06% enzyme supplemented group (T₃). The mean egg weight from 21 to 56 weeks of age was significantly (P<0.05) higher in all enzyme supplemented groups than that of 8% CF group (T₁). The mean daily feed consumption per duck (21 to 56 weeks) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in all high fibre diet groups than 8% CF group. Feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs was superior in 0.06% enzyme group but the difference was statistically non-significant. Feed conversion ratio per kilograms of eggs was also non-significant between the groups. The results indicated that 12% crude fibre could be included advantageously in the diet of indigenous layer ducks. Supplementation of 0.06% polyzyme in 12% fibre diet improved the production performance of indigenous layer ducks.