Poultry farming is a popular and demanded type of agriculture, which makes it possible to provide the population with high-quality dietary meat and egg products. Large farms are engaged not only in breeding chickens, geese and turkeys, but also ducks. Duck products are in high demand and are used by both private consumers and specialized restaurant chains. Long-term painstaking work of breeders has led to the emergence of new, more improved species of this poultry. Professional farmers recommend paying attention to the cherry vellie breed, which has both meat and egg directions.
History of appearance
The cherry vellie breed is the result of the selection work of English specialists. The breed is based on the genetic characteristics of the Peking duck. The hatched species acquired a high level of egg production without loss of meat parameters.
The name of the breeding company gave the name to the breed.
Due to its versatile properties, the bird quickly gained popularity and became in demand both in large farms and among private breeders. In the early 1970s, cherry vellis began to be grown commercially. For many decades, the breed has been occupying a leading position in the ranking of the most demanded species of poultry due to its high level of productivity, unpretentiousness, rapid weight gain and endurance.
Description of the breed and productivity
Cherry velli is a popular domestic duck that shares characteristics with the Peking duck. Due to the high level of immunity in birds, the absence of the need to vaccinate and use medical preparations for treatment, meat products are of high quality and high vitamin content. The meat of young individuals contains a minimum amount of fat and is equated to red.
The duck reaches its maximum taste indicators at the age of 7 months.
Cherry Valley have both maternal and paternal cross line. Traces on the father's side are characterized by the meat direction, and on the mother's side - egg. The maximum weight of adult males is 4 kg and that of females is 3.5 kg. Already at 7 months, the mass of young animals reaches 3 kg.
Under favorable conditions, the average level of egg production is 200 eggs per year.
Disease resistance results in maximum livestock retention. For adult birds, these figures reach 99%, and for ducklings - up to 96%. Ducks always have white feathers, and after molting they acquire a snow-white color. The body of the bird is elongated. The broad chest has a pronounced muscle structure and fatty layer.
Low limbs of deep orange color are located closer to the tail area. There is a small head on the massive neck. The forehead area is convex. The orange beak is curved. The color range of the eyes is from blue to dark blue.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like all poultry, the cherry vellie duck has a number of advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages are:
- unpretentiousness;
- endurance;
- universal purpose;
- high aesthetic performance;
- the presence of a large amount of vitamins and minerals in meat;
- low fatty tissue content;
- fast weight gain;
- high taste indicators of meat and egg products;
- resistance to viral and infectious diseases;
- pickiness in the diet;
- developed hatching instinct;
- high survival rate of both adults and young animals.
This breed is versatile and has practically no flaws.
For the full and rapid growth of birds, you will have to strictly monitor the quality of the feed. And it is also necessary to provide access to the reservoir.
Conditions of detention and care
The Cherry Valley breed is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and does not require special conditions of detention. The area of the duck house should correspond to the number of livestock. There should be no more than 3 adults per 1m2. In the autumn-winter period, experts advise installing additional lighting sources that will increase the daylight hours to 12 hours a day.
The room should be equipped with a modern ventilation system that will prevent the accumulation of carbon dioxide from the waste products of the bird.
The temperature level should not be lower than + 5 °. The most comfortable air temperature is + 18 °. In winter, during a sharp drop in temperature, it is recommended to use heating devices. Wide beams are used as perches, which are attached to the wall.
To prevent the development of feather parasites, containers with river sand and wood ash should be installed in the room. These fillers need to be changed every month. In the summer, birds need to organize a walking area. The territory should be fenced with metal or plastic mesh with a mesh size of no more than 50 mm. In late autumn, it is advisable to sow the territory of the enclosure with grass: the birds will be able to feast on the greens in early spring immediately after the snow melts.
In the absence of natural sources of water, owners should organize artificial reservoirs for birds. In winter, bathing ducks is strictly prohibited due to the possible development of colds and infectious diseases. Particular attention should be paid to the arrangement of the nests, which can be made of wooden or cardboard boxes with straw and hay. The number of containers should be 2 times less than the total number of females.
A wooden step must be built near each nest. All boxes should be installed near the farthest and warmest wall. The bedding material can be straw, sawdust and peat.
In the summer, it is advisable to take the feeders and drinkers outside, and to prevent the feed from getting wet, a canopy should be built over them.
To prevent the development of dangerous diseases, it is necessary to clean the ducklings weekly with the replacement of bedding material. General cleaning of the entire premises should be carried out every six months. Failure to comply with hygienic and sanitary standards leads to the appearance of colds and other ailments: to catarrh, omphalitis, diarrhea and bowel diseases. Sick birds must be quarantined. The room where they were located must be carefully cleaned and disinfected.
Feeding
Cherry vellie ducks scatter food while eating. This feature must be taken into account when choosing a feeder. Experts recommend using long, narrow containers with high sides.
The poured feed should not reach the middle of the container. And also ducks must have constant access to clean fresh water.
Novice farmers need to pay special attention to the diet of poultry, which should be as balanced as possible and contain all the necessary vitamins and nutrients. Ducks can be fed both dry and wet food. Dry foods include:
- granulated vegetables;
- grain mixtures;
- vitamin mixtures.
These formulations are used for automatic feeders by large farms. In small private backyards, they prefer to feed the bird with wet food, which includes:
- boiled porridge;
- bone and grass meal;
- meat and fish waste;
- boiled chopped vegetables.
The mixture can be diluted not only with water, but also with milk, whey and kefir. In the evening, chalk and shell rock should be added to the composition. The frequency of feeding should not exceed 3 times a day.
Birds love to feast on fresh vegetables and cabbage leaves. Adding a small amount of brewer's yeast to the prepared feed will have a beneficial effect on the poultry's immunity. The quality of the menu has a direct impact on the taste of meat products. In the case of an unbalanced diet and lack of sufficient vitamins and minerals, ducks may develop the following diseases:
- conjunctivitis;
- low blood pressure and pulse;
- muscle cramps;
- loss of feather coverage;
- disruption of the digestive system.
Breeding
Sexual maturity in this breed occurs at the age of 6 months. One female is capable of raising about 20 young animals. The maximum egg weight can be up to 100 g. The first 2 days after the duck has sat on the eggs, it must not be touched. If it does not get up from the nest even for 3 days, it must be removed, fed, watered and put back. This manipulation must be carried out several times until the bird gets used to it and begins to eat and drink itself.
To obtain the maximum number of ducklings, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room at + 15 ° throughout the entire incubation period. The chicks that appear are covered with yellow fluff. They have strong immunity. Only 4% of ducklings do not survive. Newborns need a lot of protein. Their diet should consist of boiled eggs, cottage cheese and kefir.
The scalded leaves of fresh nettle will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of the young.
Two week old ducklings can already eat chopped leaves of clover, dill, sow thistle, dandelions and green onions. Monthly chicks should be gradually taught to boiled vegetables. To prevent poisoning and disruption of the intestines, food for ducklings must be prepared before serving, and uneaten foods must be removed an hour after feeding. Premises with young growth should be cleaned daily, and the water should be changed several times a day.
Reviews
The demand and popularity of cherry vellie ducks has caused a huge number of reviews. Small private farmsteads prefer this breed due to its versatility. Farmers report rapid weight gain while maintaining a high level of egg production. For your own consumption and for sale, you can use the bird already at the age of 7 months.
Large farms note the unpretentiousness of the bird and its high resistance to diseases. These indicators can significantly reduce the financial costs for the construction and equipment of ducklings and the purchase of expensive vaccines. Omnivorousness and unpretentiousness in food are noted by all owners of the breed.
Birds are happy to eat both expensive dry food and homemade wet mixtures, which make it possible to make the most of the crops from their own backyards.
Trouble and inconvenience for the owners is the love of ducks for water and free range. In the absence of free access to the reservoir, it is necessary to create artificial ponds and pools for them, as well as green areas. Growing poultry on an industrial scale and for private use is a profitable undertaking that provides an opportunity to obtain both meat and egg products. Before purchasing young animals, experienced farmers recommend carefully studying the features of the selected breed and the rules for caring for it.
An overview of cherry vellie ducklings can be seen in the video below.