ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate growth and meat yield of intergeneric hinny ducklings raised to 10 weeks of age in a tropical rainforest environment. Mean body weight of male hinny ducklings at day-old (52.33± 1.20g) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the females (39.05±2.08g). By week 2, the male ducklings had increased their hatch weight by four times and the females likewise with the males maintaining their superiority in body weight. This trend continued till the tenth week with the male hinnies finishing at 2383.30g where the females reached 1466.70g. The morphostructural parameters namely wing length, keel length and shank length were longer in the males than in females especially from the 6° week of life. There was marked evidence of sexual dimorphism between male and female hinny ducklings for body weight and morphostructural parameters. Carcass characteristics were generally in favour of the male hinnies which dressed out 71.34% as against the females which had 60.23%. > higher than that of the females (39.05±2.08g). By week 2, the male ducklings had increased their hatch weight by four times and the females likewise with the males maintaining their superiority in body weight. This trend continued till the tenth week with the male hinnies finishing at 2383.30g where the females reached 1466.70g. The morphostructural parameters namely wing length, keel length and shank length were longer in the males than in females especially from the 6° week of life. There was marked evidence of sexual dimorphism between male and female hinny ducklings for body weight and morphostructural parameters. Carcass characteristics were generally in favour of the male hinnies which dressed out 71.34% as against the females which had 60.23%.