Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Economic Aspects of Pekin Duck Growing in Dhamrai Area of Bangladesh

To cite this paper: Sultana S, Islam S, Islam MA, Khatun R, and Ahmed S (2025). Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Economic Aspects of Pekin Duck Growing in Dhamrai Area of Bangladesh. J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.36380/jwpr.2025.34 350 JWPR Journal of World’s Poultry Research 2025, Scienceline Publication J. World Poult. Res. 15(3): 350-365, 2025 Research Paper DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.36380/jwpr.2025.34 PII: S2322455X2400034-15 Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Economic Aspects of Pekin Duck Growing in Dhamrai Area of Bangladesh Sharmin Sultana1, Syidul Islam1, Md. Ashraful Islam1 , Razia Khatun1* and Shamim Ahmed2 1Farming System Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2Regional Station, Bhanga, Faridpur, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh *Corresponding author’s E-mail: rkbaby[email protected] Received: June 21, 2025, Revised: July 26, 2025, Accepted: August 27, 2025, Published: September 30, 2025 ABSTRACT White Pekin ducks are a valuable addition to the poultry industry in Bangladesh with their adaptability, rapid growth rate, and excellent meat quality. This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance, meat quality, and socio-economic aspects of White Pekin ducks in the Dhamrai area of Bangladesh. The study was carried out between January and April 2024 by distributing a total of 250 one-day-old Pekin ducklings among 25 selected farmers. Farmers were chosen based on their willingness, capacity, and adequate housing facilities to observe the growth characteristics, carcass traits, and economic values of Pekin ducks. The farmers were mainly middle-aged (46 years) with an average family size of 4.16 and had farming experience of 9 years. Livestock and poultry rearing were the primary occupation for 72% of farmers, and Pekin duck farming was pursued for both household consumption and extra income. The ducks showed consistent growth, increasing from 53.17 g at day-old to 1812.82 g at 9 weeks, with an average daily gain of 82.97 g. At the marketing age (10 weeks), the average dressing percentage was 74. The carcasses of male and female ducks differed slightly in terms of organ and fat distribution, with males generally had heavier internal organs and giblets, while females had slightly higher fat (2.10%). The nutrient content of breast and thigh muscles showed differences in water and fat content, with males generally having a higher dry matter of 29.13%. The Benefit-Cost ratio of Pekin duck farming was 1.59; however, the majority of farmers faced constraints due to higher feed prices and a lack of quality ducklings for Pekin duck production. Therefore, improving management practices, biosecurity measures, and access to better inputs could enhance the profitability and sustainability of Pekin duck farming. Keywords: Benefit-cost ratio, Carcass trait, Dressing percentage, Growth performance, Pekin duck INTRODUCTION White Pekin ducks originated from China and have become widely popular across the world (Elkin, 2007) due to their remarkable adaptability to diverse environments, including the varied climate of Bangladesh (Ahmed et al., 2021). White Pekin ducks are characterized by their pure white feathers, orange to yellowish bills, shanks, and webbed feet. Pekin ducks are highly prized for their premium-quality meat and are widely raised on commercial duck farms (Ghosh et al., 2022). Global duck meat production in 2023 was dominated by China, with 3.6557 million metric tons, which is significantly higher than in other countries. Myanmar and France followed at 0.22251 and 0.20553 million metric tons, respectively (ReportLinker Research, 2023). White Pekin duck meat has gained significant popularity among urban consumers across various regions of Bangladesh, driving the growth of value-added, ready-to-eat duck products and expanding the frozen meat sector in the metropolitan areas. In India, traditional duck farmers, particularly women's self-help groups in rural areas, are rapidly adopting White Pekin duck farming, driven by robust market demand, convenient forward marketing linkages, and promising economic returns (Ghosh et al., 2021). In many regions of Bangladesh, duck farming is often favored over chicken farming due to lower disease outbreaks, reduced mortality ISSN: 2322-455X License: CC BY 4.0 J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365, 2025 351 rates, and simpler feeding management. Recently, the rise in duck rearing and production, particularly white Pekin duck farming, has been driven by a growing number of women farmers in villages and peri-urban areas of Bangladesh, who are increasingly drawn to its promising potential (Islam et al., 2016). Under the traditional backyard duck farming system in lowland Hoar, Floodprone, and Coastal areas, ducks are primarily reared on rice bran-based diets with limited supplementary green feedings, which often fall short of meeting the proper nutritional needs of ducks. To minimize the high costs of commercial feeds, many village duck farmers rely on a single, cost-effective feeding approach, using a mixture of rice bran, broken rice, and other locally available feed ingredients throughout the entire life cycle of ducks (Mavromichalis, 2014). It is widely recognized that management practices and feeding conditions are essential factors influencing the growth and meat characteristics of food animals (Mir et al., 2017). Management practices and feeding conditions influence the growth patterns and meat quality by affecting various metabolic pathways (Lebret, 2008; Park et al., 2018) either alone or in combination. The meat quality of Pekin ducks is a crucial consideration, as their meat is typically sold in the frozen sector in packaged form. Prolonged storage can lead to lipid oxidation, which may affect the taste and texture of the meat (Biswas et al., 2019). Meat production mainly relies on commercial strains of Pekin duck that vary in growth performance, carcass conformation, and meat quality. Furthermore, large differences exist in their housing conditions that affect welfare, growth, and carcass characteristics. Meat-producing duck strains exhibit rapid growth as a result of genetic selection, efficient housing systems, and superior nutrition. Several strains of Pekin ducks are frequently utilized in commercial meat production because of their impressive growth rates, efficient feed conversion, desirable body conformation, and high ‘dressing %’ (Starcevic et al., 2021). Pekin ducks are typically slaughtered between 6 and 8 weeks of age, by which time they have completed their rapid growth phase and reach an average weight of approximately 3.5 kilograms (Kokoszynski et al., 2019a). However, the emphasis on selecting for rapid growth and high meat yield may negatively influence meat quality (Kwon et al., 2014). Since duck meat production has intensified in recent decades, there is a growing demand to develop production systems that not only support optimal animal welfare but also ensure the delivery of excellent-quality meat (Chen et al., 2015). Pekin ducks are highly susceptible to environmental stress, which is significantly influenced by their housing conditions. Additionally, high stocking density can impair the growth performance, health, and welfare of Pekin ducks (Xie et al., 2014). Numerous studies have been conducted to examine the growth performance and meat quality of various commercial Pekin duck strains (Kwon et al., 2014; Kokoszynski et al., 2019b). Although substantial literature exists on numerous aspects of white Pekin duck production in the confined rearing system under the commercial feeding regime, there is limited research regarding the growth performance and meat quality of this duck breed raised in a backyard farming system (Steczny et al., 2017; Rabbani et al., 2019). The present study could explore the growth pattern, meat quality, and profitability of raising white Pekin ducks in existing backyard farming conditions with locally available ingredients-based feeding management. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the growth performance, meat quality, socio-economic aspects, profitability, and constraints regarding White Pekin duck farming under existing backyard farming conditions in the Dhamrai area of Bangladesh. MATERIALS and METHODS Ethical approval This study was conducted in strict accordance with established ethical guidelines for animal research and welfare. Ethical approval was obtained under the “Establishment of ‘BLRI Technology village’ at BLRI Regional station” project from the Ethics Committee of the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), ensuring that all procedures involving animal care and handling complied with the standards set forth by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for the ethical treatment of animals in research. Study area and time The present research was carried out at the “BLRI Technology Village” (Shraifbag) of the Dhamrai area in Dhaka district under the Dhaka division of Bangladesh. Dhamrai Sub-district is located about 40 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Dhaka. Dhamrai Subdistrict has an area of 307.41 square kilometers, located between 23°49' and 24°03' north latitudes and between 90°01' and 90°15' east longitudes. Figure 1 represents the geographical location of the experimental site of Dhamrai Sub-district, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The experimental and data collection period was considered from the first of January to the 30th of April 2024. Sultana et al., 2025 352 Figure 1. Geographical location of the study site, Dhamrai Subdistrict, Dhaka, Bangladesh Study population and design A total of 25 farmers were selected based on their financial capacity, housing facility, adequate feed resources, and willingness to rear Pekin Duck, etc. A total of 250 one-day-old Pekin ducklings were collected from the Poultry Production Research Division by the coordination of the Farming System Research Division, BLRI, Savar, Dhaka. One farmer was selected from the total, based on his ability to provide sufficient brooding space and electricity supply. The brooding of White Pekin ducklings was conducted from day-old to 6 days of age under controlled environmental conditions to ensure optimal growth and health during the critical early stages. The ducklings were housed in well-ventilated, clean, and dry brooders equipped with adequate heating sources to maintain a consistent temperature range of 32-35°C during the first three days, gradually reducing to 28-30°C by the sixth day. The floor was covered with absorbent bedding material to prevent moisture accumulation and reduce the risk of infections. A 24-hour light cycle was maintained to encourage early feeding and activity. After completing the brooding up to 6 weeks of age, a total of 250 Pekin ducklings were distributed among the selected 25 farmers to assess the growth performance, carcass traits, and economic values of Pekin ducks at the community level. Farmers reared Pekin ducks on a semi-intensive system with scavenging feeding management, where they supplied only a limited amount of locally available concentrate feed ingredients as a feed supplement from their household or purchased from the local market. Figure 2 shows the feeding and rearing management of Pekin ducks at Dhamrai Sub-district, Dhaka, Bangladesh. All farmers were interviewed with a structured questionnaire to assess the socio-economic conditions, rearing facilities, profitability, and constraints associated with Pekin duck rearing. Data collection and recording Data were collected and recorded on feed ingredients offered/day, body weight (gm), daily weight gain (gm) on a weekly basis from day old to nine weeks, and the market age of Pekin ducks was considered at 10-12 weeks. Four male and four female Pekin ducks were randomly selected from experimental farmers’ households for this study and slaughtered to observe the physical quality as well as the carcass characteristics. Ducks were slaughtered manually at 10 weeks of age. In the beginning, the live weight (gm) was measured for each duck through a digital weight balance, and then slaughter was performed according to the standard procedure to ensure minimal pain and distress following the Halal method as customary in a Muslim country. The Halal approach ensured that the animals were slaughtered with the utmost care and respect, in compliance with ethical and religious standards. All procedures were carried out by trained personnel to maintain high ethical standards and ensure compliance with veterinary guidelines. Then the data were recorded on slaughtered weight (gm), Carcass weight (gm), Edible carcass weight (gm), muscle, bone, and Skin weight (gm) of Breast, Thigh (Thigh with drumstick), and lumbosacral region. The weight (gm) of edible parts and inedible parts, giblets, abdominal fat, skin, as well as other by-products of Pekin duck, was also recorded. The muscles from the Breast and Thigh region (50 gm) from each portion of both sexes (two males and two females) were considered as samples for laboratory analysis to determine the nutrient composition. Then the laboratory analysis was performed on nutrient composition, and the data were used for statistical analysis. Economic assessment The parameters on the nutrient composition (Dry matter, water content, crude protein, crude Fat, ether extract, and Ash) of the meat sample were calculated as per the standard methods (Proximate analysis). Proximate analysis was employed to assess the nutrient composition J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365, 2025 353 of the samples, following the standard procedures outlined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 2005). Moreover, carcass traits were recorded for the whole carcass and individual cut-up parts. The ‘dressing %’ was calculated by the following formula. Dressing (%) = Dressed weight / Live weight × 100 For calculating the Net return, the following formula was used. Net return = GR - GC; Where GR: Gross return, GC: Gross cost Here, GC = TFC + TVC; Where TFC: Total fixed cost and TVC: Total variable cost To calculate the Benefit-cost ratio, the following formula was used. Benefit-cost ratio = Gross Return (GR) Gross Cost (GC ) The gross return indicates the average return from the raising of Pekin Ducks, including the family consumed duck value and the sold value of ducks. Gross cost includes the total cost of Duck rearing, such as feed cost, veterinary cost, housing cost with 10% depreciation, cost of family labor involved, transportation cost, miscellaneous cost, etc. The benefit-cost ratio was a relative measure employed to compare the benefit to the cost. It assisted in analyzing the financial efficiency of the Pekin duck farms. Statistical analysis Initially, collected and recorded data were entered, sorted, compiled, and analyzed by using a Microsoft Excel worksheet. Descriptive statistics including frequency distribution, percentage, mean value and standard error of mean were considered to test the differences among the variables of feed supplying amount (gm/day), growth performance at different ages (gm/day), the cost involved in rearing and management practices (USD), fresh and slaughtered weight (gm), carcass weight (gm), nutrient compositions of meat under the basic economic performance indicators using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) Software, IBM Corporation, version-25. RESULTS Socio-economic demography of Pekin duck raising farmers Table 1 represents the demographic and familyrelated characteristics of Pekin duck-raising farmers, where the mean age was 46.12 ± 2.58 years, indicating the farmers were in their mid-life stage. The farmer’s family composed an average of 4.16 ± 0.19 members, with the number of earning members of 1.16 ± 0.07, and most households had slightly more than one individual contributing to the family income. A moderate level of farming experience was observed at 9.08 ± 1.43 years within the sample population. The distribution of respondents across different educational levels, occupations, training facilities, and purposes of Pekin duck rearing is presented in Table 2. The data reflected a diverse range of educational backgrounds, where the highest percentage, comprising 36% of the farmers, had completed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) education, followed by two groups, each representing 24% attained a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level, and another had education below the SSC level. The lowest percentage (16%) had completed only primary education in the study area. The majority of farmers (72%) were engaged in livestock and poultry rearing as their primary occupation. A smaller portion of farmers (16%) was involved in business activities. Agriculture was the primary occupation for only 8% of the respondents, while only 4% identified as day laborers. Regarding secondary occupation, a significant proportion (52%) was involved in agriculture, 12% were also engaged in livestock rearing and day labor. Business was an occupation for 16% of the farmers, and 8% practiced fish farming as their secondary occupation. A combination of family need and extra income was the most common practice by 40% of the farmers, whereas 32% reared ducks for extra income, and 28% kept ducks primarily to meet family needs in the study area. Overall, 88% of the respondents had received training, whereas 64% of farmers attended training on livestock and poultry farming from the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), and 24% got training organized by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh. Moreover, 12% of the respondents did not receive any formal training related to duck rearing. Table 1. Family status of Pekin duck raising farmers at Dhamrai Sub-district, Bangladesh, during 2024 Parameters Mean ± SE (n = 25) Age of the farmer 46.12 ± 2.58 Family size 4.16 ± 0.19 Earning member 1.16 ± 0.07 Farming experience 9.08 ± 1.43 SE: Standard error, n: Number of observations Sultana et al., 2025 354 Table 2. Education, occupation, rearing purpose, and training status of farmers at Dhamrai area, Bangladesh, in January to April 2024 Educational level Percentage (n) Primary occupation Percentage (n) Primary 16.00 (4) Agriculture 8.00 (2) Below SSC 24.00 (6) Livestock and poultry rearing 72.00 (18) SSC 36.00 (9) Day labor 4.00 (1) HSC 24.00 (6) Business 16.00 (4) Total 100.0 (25) Total 100.00 (25) Purpose of Pekin duck rearing Secondary occupation Family need 28.00 (7) Agriculture 52.00 (13) Extra income 32.00 (8) Fish farming 8.00 (2) Family needs and extra income 40.00 (10) Livestock rearing 12.00 (3) Total 100.0 (25) Day labor 12.00 (3) Training facility Business 16.00 (4) DLS 24.00 (6) Total 100.00 (25) BLRI 64.00 (16) - - *SSC: Secondary school certificate; HSC: Higher secondary school certificate; DLS: Department of Livestock Services; BLRI: Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute; n: Number of observations Table 3. Housing facility and rearing system of Pekin duck at Dhamrai area, Bangladesh, from January to April 2024 Housing facility Percentage (n) Rearing system Percentage (n) Separate duck house 84.00 (21) Scavenging 12.00 (22) Same house with chicken 16.00 (4) Semi-intensive 88.00 (3) Housing material House cleaning practice Tin and wood 60.00 (15) Water 40.00 (10) Bamboo and tin 24.00 (6) Water and broom 24.00 (6) Brick 16.00 (4) Water and disinfectant 36.00 (9) Floor type Total 100.00 (25) Wood 84.00 (21) - - Brick 16.00 (4) - - Total 100.00 (25) - - Housing and rearing management The housing facilities and rearing systems for Pekin ducks are shown in Table 3. A majority percentage (84%) of the duck farmers provided shelter to their Pekin ducks in a separate house, while 16% were kept in the same house with chickens. The materials used for constructing the duck houses varied, where 60% of the houses were made of tin and wood, 24% of farmers’ duck houses were made of bamboo with tin, and 16% were made of brick. The floor types of the housing structures included 84% of wood and 16% of brick or concrete floors. In terms of the rearing system, most of the farmers adopted semiintensive rearing management and allowed ducks to scavenge in the ponds near their household, while 12% of respondents raised Pekin ducks under the scavenging system. Water was the most common cleaning method for house cleaning practices, used by 40% of the farmers. Other cleaning methods included the use of both water and a broom (24%) and water combined with disinfectant (36%). Concentrate feed supplements are provided by the farmers Most of the farmers did not follow any specific diet for duck production under traditional rearing and feeding management in Bangladesh. They mainly depended on natural feeding sources for feeding their ducks under the scavenging rearing system. However, they provide the minimum proportion of locally available concentrate feed ingredients 2-3 times a day. Table 4 shows the frequency and percentage of concentrate feed ingredients provided by farmers to their Pekin ducks at different growth stages. At the early stage, rice was the most commonly used feed J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365, 2025 355 component, whereas 80% of farmers offered broken rice to their ducks, followed by rice polish 72%, whole rice 48%, wheat 36% and maize provided by 20% of the duck farmers. Boiled rice was supplied by a smaller proportion of farmers (16%), while 44% of farmers provided ready feed, and all farmers (100%) used common salt in the duck diet. At the growing stage, there was a noticeable shift in feed preferences. The use of rice increased to 84%, while rice polish (80%) remained a common choice; broken rice was used by 60% of farmers. The frequency of ready feed, wheat, and maize bran usage slightly decreased to 36%, 28%, and 20%, respectively, due to fluctuating market prices and the seasonal availability of these feed ingredients in the local market. Notably, a vitamin-mineral premix was incorporated by 20% of farmers at the growing stage. The distribution of feed ingredients highlights the farmers' adaptability in adjusting the duck feed formulation as the ducks progressed through different growth stages. Growth performance Figure 3 shows the growth performance and average daily gain of Pekin ducks in the study area. The average body weight of day-old ducklings was 53.17 ± 0.41 gm. Ducks gained an average of 17.37 gm per day during the first week, with their body weight reaching 121.63 ± 1.67 gm. Throughout the second to ninth week period, the Pekin ducks exhibited increasing average body weight (gm) of 340.77 ± 12.32, 505.62 ± 12.45, 648.36 ± 17.46, 771.67 ± 23.97, 957.66 ± 26.98, 1223.94 ± 36.35, 1517.58 ± 37.04, and 1812.82 ± 49.91 gm, respectively. Moreover, the average daily gain (gm) from the first to the ninth weeks of age was observed at 17.37 gm, 48.68 gm, 35.23, 46.62, 52.23, 57.80, 65.84, 74.79, and 82.97 gm, respectively. Pekin ducks exhibited a remarkable growth performance, characterized by a steady weekly increase in both body weight and daily weight gain. Table 4. Concentrate feed supplement provided by the farmers to their Pekin ducks at Dhamrai, Bangladesh, from February to April 2024 Feed ingredients Frequency (n) Percent at early stage (0-8 weeks) Frequency (n) Percent of growth stage (9-12 weeks) Rice 12 48.00 21 84.00 Broken rice 20 80.00 15 60.00 Boiled rice 4 16.00 5 20.00 Rice polish 18 72.00 20 80.00 Wheat bran 9 36.00 7 28.00 Maize crushed 5 20.00 5 20.00 Vitamin-mineral premix - - 5 20.00 Ready feed 11 44.00 9 36.00 Salt 25 100.00 25 100.00 Figure 3. Growth performance (Mean ± Standard Error) and average daily gain of Pekin Duck at Dhamrai area of Bangladesh in 2024. DOC 1st week 2nd week 3rd weeks 4th weeks 5th weeks 6th weeks 7th weeks 8th weeks 9th weeks Average Body Weight (gm) 53.17 121.63 340.77 505.62 648.36 771.67 957.66 1223.94 1517.58 1812.82 Average Daily Gain (gm) 17.37 28.68 35.23 46.62 52.23 57.8 65.84 74.79 82.97 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 Average Body Weight (gm) Average Daily Gain (gm) (g) (g) (g) (g) Sultana et al., 2025 356 Figure 2. Feeding and rearing management of Pekin ducks at Dhamrai Upazila, Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2024 Health and biosecurity management of Pekin ducks Table 5 shows the health and biosecurity management of Pekin ducks and reveals that 84% of farmers followed regular vaccination protocols, with 48% vaccinating at 21 days of age and 36% at 28 days. About 56% of farmers reported their ducks were free from disease. Moreover, farmers experienced Duck Plague and Duck Cholera at 8%, because farmers reared Pekin ducks only up to reach their marketing age (12 weeks), while 16% Duck Brooder Pneumonia and 12% other diseases. Biosecurity management practices indicated that 88% of farmers’ ducks came into contact with wild birds. Nearly 52% of farmers isolated sick ducks in a separate shed, while 20% kept them in the same shed, another 20% opted to slaughter the sick ducks, and 8% of farmers sold their sick ducks to the local consumers. Excrement management was usually practiced by 100% of farmers, and they performed regular cleaning. About 32% of farmers disposed of excreta by dumping it with soil, 28% used it as fish feed, 20% threw it into the water, and another 20% used it as fertilizer in their household crop and vegetable garden. In terms of dead duck disposal, 44% of farmers practiced burning, 24% threw it into the water, 20% threw it into open fields, and 12% burned it. As the Sharifbag village has already been declared as the “BLRI Technology Village” which is located under Dhamrai Sub-district. So, the treatment of sick pekin ducks was primarily handled by veterinary experts from the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (68%), with a smaller proportion treated by veterinary hospitals (12%) and quacks (12%) or managed by the farm owners themselves (8%). Table 5. Health and biosecurity management of Pekin duck at Dhamrai area, Bangladesh, from January to April 2024 Parameters Frequency (n) Percentage Followed vaccination regularly 21 84.00 Age at vaccination 21 days 12 48.00 28 days 9 36.00 Disease outbreaks Duck plague 2 8.00 Duck cholera 2 8.00 Duck brooder pneumonia 4 16.00 Others 3 12.00 Free from disease 14 56.00 Biosecurity management Contact with a wild bird 22 88.00 Sick duck management Kept in the same shed 5 20.00 Kept in a separate shed 13 52.00 Slaughtered 5 20.00 Sold a sick duck 2 8.00 Regular cleaning of excrement 25 100.00 Method of excreta management Throw it into the water 5 20.00 Used as a household fertilizer 5 20.00 Dumping with soil 8 32.00 Used as fish feed 7 28.00 Death duck management Throw in field 5 20.00 Buried 11 44.00 Burnt 3 12.00 Throw in water 6 24.00 Treatment facilities for ducks By a veterinary expert from BLRI 17 68.00 By the veterinary hospital 3 12.00 By quack 3 12.00 By own self 2 8.00 BLRI: Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute; n: Number of observations J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365, 2025 357 Carcass characteristics of Pekin ducks The carcass characteristics of Pekin ducks at their marketable age (10 weeks) are given in Table 6. The overall live weight of the Pekin duck was 2017.50 ± 44.63 gm, where the live weight of 2025.50 ± 61.48 gm was observed for males and 2009.50 ± 73.98 gm for females. Higher blood (7.50 ± 0.28 ml) but lower feather (152.50 ± 4.78 gm) weight was found for males; lower blood (7.00 ± 0.91 ml) and higher feather (157.50 ± 4.78 gm) weight were observed in female Pekin ducks. Sex had a minimum effect on dressing weight, and the overall dressing weight of the Pekin duck was 1494.12 gm. Results from the study revealed that male ducks possessed the more weighted head, wing, shank, heart, gizzard, liver, lungs, intestine and giblets was of 85.00 ± 1.91 gm, 146.75 ± 8.23 gm, 45.75 ± 1.43 gm, 21.00 ± 1.78 gm, 74.50 ± 3.47 gm, 55.75 ± 2.46 gm, 24.00 ± 2.27 gm, 118.00 ± 3.34 and 295.50 ± 9gm, respectively. Although almost similar, the duck-bill 24.50 ± 0.88 gm and spleen (1.00 ± 0.00 gm) weight was measured in male and female ducks. However, a higher fat percentage on body weight (2.10%) was observed in female Pekin ducks than in males (1.97%). In this study, 74% of dressing weight was accounted from the overall live weight with 3.98% head, 1.21% bill, 6.84% wing, 2.22% shank, 2.04% fat, 0.96% heart, 3.61% gizzard, 2.71% liver, 0.05% spleen, 1.11% lungs, 5.76% intestine, and 14.50% giblet weight were also measured from the overall weight. Major tissue component of Pekin duck Table 7 shows the different tissue components of Pekin ducks at the Breast, Leg quarter, and Lumbosacral parts of the body. The tissue components of the whole carcass of male and female Pekin ducks were divided into three categories: Breast part, Leg quarter, and Lumbosacral part. From these three different components, the muscle of males (430.75 ± 16.99 gm) and females (414.75 ± 21.48 gm) covered the maximum portion of the total carcass as Pekin was popular as a meat type duck whereas skin weight ranked second (353.25 ± 24.00 gm; 335.75 ± 13.22 gm) and bones covered the third one (257.5 ± 7.28 gm; 251.25 ± 18.69 gm). Muscle and skin from the breast part generally covered the maximum portion of the total carcass, which was found to be 194.75 ± 11.96 gm, and 167.75 ± 13.79 gm in males, respectively, and 188.25 ± 13.63 gm and 154.5 ± 3.41 gm in females Pekin duck, respectively. However, bones of the lumbosacral part covered the maximum portion, where 257.5 ± 7.28 gm in male and 251.25 ± 18.69 gm in female ducks. Nutrient composition of Pekin ducks’ breast and leg quarter muscle Table 8 represents the measured percentage of nutrients from both male and female Pekin ducks’ thigh and breast muscles. Drakes exhibited a higher dry matter of 29.13% compared to ducks’ 24.14%, indicating lower water content in drake thigh muscle. Conversely, ducks generally showed higher water content in both thighs at 75.86% and breast muscles at 77.12% compared to drakes. Crude protein levels were similar between drakes and ducks across both muscle types, with slight variations observed. Crude fat content was notably higher in thigh muscles, exhibited at 12.59% in drakes and 14.88% in ducks, than in the breast muscles of drakes (5.12%) and ducks (5.10%). Additionally, ether extract values were higher in thigh muscles (2.74% in drakes and 2.13% in ducks) than in breast muscles of drakes (0.42%) and ducks (0.48%). Ash content was slightly elevated in thigh muscles, with values of 3.86% in drakes and 4.00% in ducks, compared to 3.60% in drakes and 3.33% in ducks' breast muscles, respectively. Benefit-cost ratio of Pekin duck raising farmers Table 9 represents the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of Pekin duck farming in the Dhamrai area of Bangladesh. The various cost components for Pekin duck rearing up to their marketing age (12 weeks) were calculated, including 17.93 USD for feed cost, veterinary expenses of 2.80 USD, housing cost with 10% depreciation of 3.82 USD, the cost involved in family labor engaged 11.38 USD, transportation cost 2.060 USD, and miscellaneous expenses of 1.20 USD. The total cost incurred by farmers was observed at 38.99 USD. The income generated from the Pekin duck farming operation was also assessed, with the average value of family-consumed ducks at 10.97 USD and the value of sold ducks at 51.09 USD, resulting in a total income of 62.05 USD with a calculated Net income of 26.06 USD. The BCR was determined as 1.59, which reflected the efficiency of the duck farming operation and indicated that for every unit of currency spent on duck farming, a return of 1.59 units was generated. Operational constraints in Pekin duck farming Farmers faced operational constraints in Pekin duck rearing that were primarily related to the high price of feed, reported by 88% of farmers, followed by the lack of quality ducklings (72%) and the unavailability of ducklings at all times (60%). Attacks by predatory animals were a concern for 52% of duck farmers, while 40% Sultana et al., 2025 358 mentioned the high price of ducklings as a limiting factor. Disease outbreaks were reported as a constraint by 36% of farmers, and 24% reported the lack of vaccines and treatment facilities. About 20% of farmers noted that the profitability of Pekin duck farming was not always guaranteed due to fluctuations in feed prices, unavailability of quality ducklings, market price volatility for duck meat and eggs, often reduced profit margins, the lack of efficient marketing and distribution channels, which significantly impacted the production costs. These factors were ranked by frequency and identified the challenges in Pekin duck farming presented in Table 10. Table 6. Carcass characteristics of Pekin duck at 10 weeks of age at Dhamrai Sub-district, Bangladesh, in April 2024 Parameters (g) Drake Duck Overall Mean ± SE Percentage Mean ± SE Percentage Mean ± SE Percentage Live wt. 2025.50 ± 61.48 100.00 2009.50 ± 73.98 100.00 2017.50 ± 44.63 100.00 Feather 152.50 ± 4.78 7.53 157.50 ± 4.78 7.84 155.00 ± 3.27 7.68 Blood 7.50 ± 0.28 0.37 7.00 ± 0.91 0.35 7.25 ± 0.45 0.36 Dressing weight 1494.25 73.77 1494.00 74.35 1494.12 74.06 Head 85.00 ± 1.91 4.20 75.50 ± 1.32 3.76 80.25 ± 2.09 3.98 Bill 24.50 ± 1.65 1.21 24.50 ± 0.95 1.22 24.50 ± 0.88 1.21 Wing 146.75 ± 8.23 7.25 129.25 ± 3.19 6.43 138.00 ± 5.25 6.84 Shank 45.75 ± 1.43 2.26 43.75 ± 2.05 2.18 44.75 ± 1.22 2.22 Fat 40.00 ± 3.39 1.97 42.25 ± 6.35 2.10 41.13 ± 3.36 2.04 Heart 21.00 ± 1.78 1.04 17.75 ± 0.85 0.88 19.38 ± 1.10 0.96 Gizzard 74.50 ± 3.47 3.68 71.25 ± 3.25 3.55 72.88 ± 2.28 3.61 Liver 55.75 ± 2.46 2.75 53.50 ± 1.55 2.66 54.63 ± 1.41 2.71 Spleen 1.00 ± 0.00 0.05 1.00 ± 0.00 0.05 1.00 ± 0.00 0.05 Lungs 24.00 ± 2.27 1.18 20.75 ± 1.54 1.03 22.38 ± 1.41 1.11 Intestine 118.00 ± 3.34 5.83 114.25 ± 5.51 5.69 116.13 ± 3.06 5.76 Giblet wt. 295.50 ± 9.20 14.59 289.50 ± 9.49 14.41 292.50 ± 6.22 14.50 SE: Standard error, wt.: Weight, g: Gram Table 7. Tissue component of breast, leg quarter, and lumbosacral parts of Pekin ducks at Dhamrai area, Bangladesh in April 2024 Parameters (g) Pekin drake (Mean ± SE) Pekin duck (Mean ± SE) Breast part Leg quarter Lumbosacral part Total Breast part Leg quarter Lumbosacral part Total Muscle 194.75 ± 11.96 90.0 ± 2.55 146.00 ± 2.48 430.75 ± 16.99 188.25 ± 13.63 83.50 ± 5.60 142.75 ± 2.28 414.75 ± 21.48 Skin 167.75 ± 13.79 137.5 ± 5.80 48.00 ± 4.41 353.25 ± 24 154.5 ± 3.41 128.75 ± 7.22 52.50 ± 2.59 335.75 ± 13.22 Bones 92.50 ± 2.75 52.75 ± 2.28 112.25 ± 2.25 257.5 ± 7.28 90.50 ± 5.90 51.25 ± 1.49 109.50 ± 3.30 251.25 ± 18.69 SE: Standard error, g: Gram Table 8. Nutrient composition of thigh and breast muscle of Pekin ducks reared at Dhamrai, Bangladesh, in April 2024 Parameters (%) Drake Duck Thigh muscle Breast muscle Thigh muscle Breast muscle Dry matter 29.13 24.38 24.14 22.88 Water 70.87 75.62 75.86 77.12 Crude protein 17.57 16.90 17.36 16.70 Crude Fat 12.59 5.12 14.88 5.10 Ether extract 2.74 0.42 2.13 0.48 Ash 3.86 3.60 4.00 3.33 J. World Poult. Res., 15(3): 350-365, 2025 365 Steczny K, Kokoszynski D, Bernacki Z, Wasilewski R, and Saleh M (2017). Growth performance, body measurements, carcass composition and some internal organ characteristics in young Pekin ducks. South African Journal of Animal Science, 47(3): 399-406. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v47i3.16 Xie M, Jiang Y, Tang J, Wen ZG, Huang W, and Hou SS (2014). Effects of stocking density on growth performance, carcass traits, and foot pad lesions of White Pekin ducks. Poultry Science, 93(7): 16441648. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3382/ps.2013-03741 Zahan MN, Sufian MKNB, Rahman MK, and Parvej MS (2016). Socioeconomic status of farmers and production performance of Khaki Campbell ducks reared under backyard farming in Bangladesh. Wayamba Journal of Animal Science, 8(1): 1307-1311. Available at: http://www.wayambajournal.com/documents/1454898244.pdf Publisher’s note: Scienceline Publication Ltd. remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Open Access: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. 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