- Apr 4, 2011
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All my knowledge is based entirely on experience, including my own measly 3 years, but primarily the more than five decades of hands-on breeding, showing, and raising experience of the world's highly respected duck expert, Dave Holderread. He says to cut protein percentage by adding oats or wheat. At first I did it because he said to (and his advice has never led me wrong), then I quit because I read a bunch of respectable stuff about carbs and amino acid balance, and I raised a group without cutting the protein with oats. And I ended up with a bunch of birds developing angel wing.
Well, for comparison, Will Dean was Director of the Cornell Duck Research Lab (http://www.duckhealth.com/ducklab.html), so I imagine he has been responsible for raising a few more birds than Dave. You might want to read a paper Gil Bernard (not peer-reiewed) published years ago. Brian Witt sent me a copy several years ago (you probably weren't keeping ducks then), that concludes angel wing is genetic in muscovies. I'm not completely convinced, but he makes a good case. For what it's worth, both Gil and Brian are very well-respected muscovy breeders.
I don't really care what anyone else suggests, but I will also provide my thoughts that are based upon the scientific literature available. I've only been raising ducks for 40 years, and made my careeer waterfowl biology.
Clint
Well, for comparison, Will Dean was Director of the Cornell Duck Research Lab (http://www.duckhealth.com/ducklab.html), so I imagine he has been responsible for raising a few more birds than Dave. You might want to read a paper Gil Bernard (not peer-reiewed) published years ago. Brian Witt sent me a copy several years ago (you probably weren't keeping ducks then), that concludes angel wing is genetic in muscovies. I'm not completely convinced, but he makes a good case. For what it's worth, both Gil and Brian are very well-respected muscovy breeders.
I don't really care what anyone else suggests, but I will also provide my thoughts that are based upon the scientific literature available. I've only been raising ducks for 40 years, and made my careeer waterfowl biology.
Clint