20% protein Duck food?

[MysteryChicken]

@ChickenCanoe is correct, Niacin levels are not required to be disclosed on guranteed nutrition tags here in the US. A few years ago, one of BYC's posters contacted Purina and Nutrena about the niacin levels in their "All FLock"-type formulations, both were adequate for generic/average adult ducks.

Many (most?) of us get Pekins from TSC and the like for meat production, Pekins need more niacin than other ducks, and hatchlings need more than adults. For that reason, many of us raising ducks (particularly Pekins) choose to add nutritional yeast (which has a decent niacin content) to the feed to the first months. How much to feed depends on which nutritional yeast you get - will have to read that label. If you have other duck breeds, smaller or slower growing, their niacin needs are much closer to "average generic adult duck", you need concern yourself with additional niacin much less.

Should also be aware that nutritional yeast is high protein, which has been associated with the development of angel wing in ducks and other waterfowl (not as strongly as high carbs), so this is a case where 18% crude protein + nutritional yeast is [perhaps] a marginally superior choice to 20% CP plus NYeast.

I personally have raied my ducks on up to 24% CP w/o issue, but its a very small sample size, so consider that a footnote, not anecdote, and certainly not data. You won't be adding enough NYeast to change 20% CP feed to 24% CP - or at least you shouldn't be.

Oh, and if you can get it at reasonable price, Brewer's Yeast is a much better choice than Nutritional Yeast - most can't. You can also add niacin drops to their water if desperate and no other alternatives present themselves.

My Peking Ducks did great on only Dumor 20% Chick Starter/Grower feed. I didn't need to add nutritional Yeast as this brand of chick starter is also formulated for ducks. It says on the bag.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My Peking Ducks did great on only Dumor 20% Chick Starter/Grower feed. I didn't need to add nutritional Yeast as this brand of chick starter is also formulated for ducks. It says on the bag.

Its a case of using "low quality" ingredients being superior for some situations.

Corn is relatively high in niacin, but has a huge amount of carbs (not great). You know what has the niacin w/o all the carbs? "Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles".

Yep.

Wheat middlins also contain about 4x as much niacin by weight (ok, 3.5x) as whole wheat.

So the number 2 and number 4 ingredients in this feed, both "byproducts" just happen to be relatively high niacin sources.

Its some cunning crafting of the feed recipe.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Its a case of using "low quality" ingredients being superior for some situations.

Corn is relatively high in niacin, but has a huge amount of carbs (not great). You know what has the niacin w/o all the carbs? "Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles".

Yep.

Wheat middlins also contain about 4x as much niacin by weight (ok, 3.5x) as whole wheat.

So the number 2 and number 4 ingredients in this feed, both "byproducts" just happen to be relatively high niacin sources.

Its some cunning crafting of the feed recipe.

That's for a ten pound bag, which for some reason doesn't have the same list of ingredients.

A 50lb bag has porcine meat, & bone meal in the ingredients.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I contacted both purina and Kalmbach. Their 20% flock raiser/makers both had enough niacin for ducks at the time. Thats what use for all ducks and a chickens zero issues. I have been hatching ducklings every spring for years. Coincidentally when I had issues with angel wing it was when I was using lower protein and using Mazuri waterfowl. I realized that the angel wing seemed to come from my one line so I stopped breeding from that pair of ducks and no longer had angel wing issues despite feeding higher protein. However, my ducks don’t get extras besides some salmon and peas once in a while. They free range during the day and are locked away at night with access to their feed 24/7.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My Peking Ducks did great on only Dumor 20% Chick Starter/Grower feed. I didn't need to add nutritional Yeast as this brand of chick starter is also formulated for ducks. It says on the bag.

TY, btw, for this. Motivated me to look at the ingredient list more closely.

and in response to "Porcine Blood and Bone Meal", I saw that as the third ingredient on the bag I referenced, but I don't have good numbers for vitamin content on Blood and Bone meal generally, much less Porcine specifically, and even the macros - CP, Fat, Ca etc are highly variable for the numbers I can associate with (generic) Blood and Bone meal - which is why I offered no opinion on that ingredient.

I simply don't know, and haven't had time or inclination to research further.

 

[Brooks_]

A 50lb bag has porcine meat, & blood in the ingredients.

This is the DuMor 20%?

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is the DuMor 20%?

Yes.

 

[Brooks_]

Yes.

Mine does not have animal products. Regional formulations, I guess.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Mine does not have animal products. Regional formulations, I guess.

Possibly.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Nutrena NatureWise All Flock is 20% protein and contains 125 ppm niacin which is well above the recommended 55 ppm.