The bird which has been brought from Malaysia can adjust to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s hot and humid weather and can produce more eggs than the local breeds, UoA’s poultry science department Chairperson Professor Dr Sar Zamin Khan told The Express Tribune.
According to Khan, the project of introducing Campbell duck hens to K-P was initiated by the university last April. “We aim to provide maximum benefit to small-scale entrepreneurs, especially women of the province,” said Khan who is supervising the project.
UoA has its own hatcheries where it has been breeding the Campbell duck and will provide them to those who wish to add these birds to their business assets. Khan said people living near rivers and canals can easily keep the birds. “The duck can fulfil its food requirements from the water and weeds; very little poultry feed is required for them,” said Khan.
They can survive K-P’s weather and their production is more than double of local birds’ production, he said, adding the breed can produce eggs for as many as three continuous years and these eggs weigh 60-70 grammes—heavier than regular poultry in the country.
“Now it is time for non-governmental organisations and institutions working for the betterment of women entrepreneurs to come forward and support us in getting locals to adopt the new birds,” said Khan.
The Campbell duck, considered one of the most prolific egg-layers of the duck breed, can lay its first egg at the age of 20 weeks and lives longer than other ducks. “They are also free from diseases such as bird flu,” said Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2014.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ