Phenotypic Traits Variance and Their Impact on Egg Production in Magelang Ducks: Implications for Breeding Programs

¹ Animal Breeding Laboratory, Animal Genetics and Reproduction Department, Faculty of Animal Science, UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
² Poultry Science Laboratory, Animal Production Department, Faculty of Animal Science, UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
³ Animal Breeding Division, Animal and Fisheries Department, Magelang Regency Government, Central Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: d.maharani@mail.ugm.ac.id

Abstract

Variance in phenotypic traits plays a crucial role in determining duck egg production. This study investigated the onset of egg-laying and egg production in Magelang ducks up to 36 weeks of age and their correlation with body size. One hundred 10-week-old ducks were placed in individual battery cages for 26 weeks. Body measurements (body weight, body length, shank length, beak length, neck diameter, and neck length) were obtained before duck in, and egg data were collected daily. The significant variability in phenotypic traits suggests that selective breeding effectively improves Magelang ducks. Correlation analysis revealed no significant relationship between body size and egg productivity. However, the age at first egg was significantly correlated with egg number at 36 weeks of age (P<0.0001) with r -0,63, following the regression model Y = -0,5144*X + 60,93 where Y is egg number and X is age at first egg in days. The laying onset age showed a significant correlation, suggesting that breeding programs should focus on selecting ducks with an earlier laying onset rather than larger body size to improve egg production efficiency.