Evaluación de tres raciones alimenticias en la producción familiar de patos Pekin (Anas platyrhynchos)

The production of duck meat is of great importance in addressing food security challenges, especially when obtaining quality proteins is difficult. Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) provide a valuable source of protein and nutrients, and their ability to adapt to environmental conditions is less demanding than other birds, making them a significant resource for food production. The purpose of the study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the body development of ducks fed with three types of rations, and determine which of them yields the best results in terms of body weight gain, economic profitability, and market acceptance, within a family production system. Ninety-six ducks were used, and four feeding treatments were applied: i) T1 (B70-M30) balanced 70%, corn and passion fruit 30%; ii) T2 (B50-C50) balanced 50%, corn and alfalfa 50%; iii) T3 (B/M30- A/W20) balanced 30%, corn 30%, oats 20%, wheat 20%; and, iv) T0 (M100) 100% corn. The main results revealed that treatment T3 (B/M30- A/W20) showed the most efficient feed conversion (4.35) and also achieved adequate carcass performance, indicating a more effective use of food resources in their nutrition. Additionally, this treatment stood out in the economic analysis of cost-benefit (1.86), demonstrating a significant difference compared to other treatments, indicating it would yield higher profits. On the other hand, market acceptance of the product found that consumers prefer slaughtered duck as it is the healthier option for them compared to smoked duck, for example. This suggests that the food combination in T3 (B/M30- A/W20) would be the most suitable option for raising ducks in a family production system, as it would lead to greater development and economic benefit.