The effects of plastic slatted floor and deep litter system on the slaughter performance and meat quali̇ty of hybrid pekin ducks

Ducks take the fourth place in poultry farming in the world and in our country. Over time, instead of backyard type enterprises industrial production systems began to be grown more. Also in our country the production of these animals, whose meat is also delicious and in demand, was included in the integrated production system in 2016. This thesis was prepared because there is not enough information about recently developed hybrid breeds' performance, meat quality related to litter systems. 96 Grimaud Star - 53 Peking ducks were the animal material of the experiment. Rearing took place in 8 separate pens which 4 of them had plastic slatted floors and 4 of them had deep litter (wood shavings). Rearing lasted in 42 days, and then 8 replicates were slaughtered from each trial two from every pen and measurements and analyses were performed for the related parameters in the experiment. According to the information obtained from the analysis results, although the ducks reared on the plastic slatted floors generally had higher slaughter weight, carcass weight, carcass yield, thigh ratio and breast ratio, these differences were found not to be statistically significant (P > 0.05). Although meat quality parameters were considered to be better for cooking loss, edible internal organ weights and pH values obtained from ducks grown on plastic slatted floors, these differences were not found to be statistically significant (P > 0.05). It has also been observed that the ducks reared on the plastic slatted floors had cleaner feathers, feet and beaks. As a result of these findings, the plastic slatted floor systems can be used in alternative of sawdust deep litter in industrial duck rearing. It should be helpful to organize more detailed and long-term researches taking into consideration of general performance, meat quality, feet condition, general economics and obtain detailed information for the sector and academic information pool.