Many people seem to prefer duck eggs to duck meat. As such, ducks have traditionally been raised for their eggs, though they can be raised for meat production as well. In the Philippines, duck eggs are mainly turned into baluts – 18-day incubated eggs that are cooked, and that are recognized as a great delicacy in the country.
The main duck breeds that are used to make balut in the Philippines are the native Pateros ducks, also commonly known as the itik ducks.
Itik ducks are generally considered to be very prolific layers, and the fact that they do not sit on their eggs makes them great for farmers that purely want to focus on duck egg production. Overall, they are excellent layers with an annual yield of as many as 175 eggs.
Today’s duck farmers, however, do not only stay at itik ducks. They also raise other duck breeds that are capable of producing as many as 50 more eggs a year than the amount that the Philippines traditional itik ducks can produce.
The good yield of the duck breeds often brings high profits for those involved in duck farming in the Philippines.
How to Get More Eggs in the Philippines with Itik Pinas Ducks
The best way to get high yields of duck eggs in the Philippines is by raising prolific layers.
One breed that can be considered that are the Itik Pinas ducks. This productive duck breed was developed by the National Swine and Poultry Research Development Center in collaboration with the Bureau of Animal Husbandry and the Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.
The Itik Pinas duck breed is genetically superior to the native breed with a productive period that averages at 70% annually. The native duck breed has an average productive period of only 55%.
For the farmer, in practical terms, this means a boost in egg production by at least 50 eggs annually. In monetary terms, that can translate into an extra P300 per duck per year in duck farming income.
Let’s look at a sample case. A farmer raising 50 Itik Pinas ducks, will have an additional income of as much as P9000 compared to a farmer that is raising the same number of the native Itik ducks.
In addition, there will not only be more eggs laid by Itik Pinas ducks, but the eggs themselves will also be bigger and heavier which makes them more popular and sellable.
They weigh about 65 grams which is the typical requirement for eggs used in the balut industry.
Luckily, the birds are also highly adaptable. As such, they will easily get accustomed to the local conditions whatever they may be and still deliver excellent performance. They need only simple housing and the feed they eat does not cost much.
The current strains of Itik Pinas also come from organized breeding and selection where great premium has been placed on the uniformity of the duck’s physical characteristics, consistency in the egg quality, as well as an improved and predictable egg-laying performance.
Three Types of Itik Ducks You Can Raise
There are three main types of Itik Pinas ducks that you can raise. These include the following:
- Itik Pinas Kayumanggi (brown strain)
- Itik Pinas Itim (black strain)
- Itis Pinas Khaki (Campbell)
The Itik Pinas Kayumanggi ducks have the following production characteristics:
- They begin laying eggs at the age of 20 weeks.
- Their production peaks at the age of 29 weeks.
- They have a peak production of 98%.
- They will produce about 266 eggs per year.
- They consume about 12.5kg of feed between day one and 18 weeks of age.
- During their laying period, their daily feed intake is 140 grams.
The Itik Pinas Itim ducks have the following production characteristics:
- They begin laying eggs at the age of 23 weeks.
- Their production peaks at the age of 29 weeks.
- They have a peak production of 99%.
- They will produce about 256 eggs per year.
- They consume about 12.8kg of feed between day one and 18 weeks of age.
- During their laying period, their daily feed intake is 142 grams.
The Itik Pinas Khaki ducks have the following production characteristics:
- They begin laying eggs at the age of 22 weeks.
- Their production peaks at the age of 29 weeks.
- They have a peak production of 98%.
- They will produce about 256 eggs per year.
- They consume about 12.5kg of feed between day one and 18 weeks of age.
- During their laying period, their daily feed intake is 149 grams.
Outlook on Demand for Duck Products in the Philippines
The demand for duck products, particularly for baluts, is expected to stay stagnant in the Philippines over the short and medium terms as the population and the incomes of many Filipinos increases.
Over the longer term, that demand is expected start declining as many Filipinos become wealthier and their tastes change.
This projection is based on trends in the Philippines as well as in many overseas countries where the consumption of duck eggs has been on a steady decline, even in traditionally duck-producing communities.
While in for the next several years you will be able to run a profitable duck farming venture in the Philippines, when it comes to planning for longer than that, you might be faced with the declining demand mentioned above.
In fact, even in the Philippines, the demand for duck eggs has not been growing strongly for decades as many Filipinos simply opt for chicken products. Combined with the possible future decline in the demand for duck eggs, the future of duck farming industry in the country doesn’t look too bright.