Comparaison des performances de l'oie, du canard mulard et du canard de Barbarie soumis au gavage

Abstract

120 water-fowl of 3 types were raised at the station exp??rimentale des palmip??des ?? foie gras in Artigu??res as follows: 40 Landaise geese, 20 males and 20 females, 40 mule ducks, males only, 40 muscovy ducks, males. The feeding program was specific to each type of bird. The purpose of such an approach was to adapt birds in the best way before cramming. However, numerous parameters (choice of corn, cramming room, material and operator) have been standardized. Cramming lasted for 13 d. At the end of this period, each type of bird presented a spectacular fattening, ranging from +41% for muscovy ducks to +53% for geese and +54% for mule ducks. Furthermore, "foie gras" production was also very different between each type of waterfowl since it ranged from 560 to 793 g for the muscovy ducks and geese, respectively. The performance of mule ducks was intermediate (702 g) and significantly different from the other waterfowl. The technical quality of "foie gras" appreciated by the amount of fat loss during thermic processing, showed the same classification: 21.2% for geese, 43.9% for mule ducks and 55.6% for muscovy ducks. Muscovy ducks present the best yield for breast muscles; geese are the least productive for this parameter, but they present the best yield for thigh muscles. It appears that starting the cramming treatment at 13 weeks for geese does not correspond to the total maturity of these birds. Depending on the purpose of each one, all these waterfowl can be used, but it seems that there is by now an overall advantage to using mule ducks for cramming. ?? 1995 Elsevier/INRA.