A 4 x 2 factorial experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of four
supplementary light intensity levels in Combination with two sex ratios on the
productive and reproductive performance of Domyati ducks. Eighteen-week-old, 552
Domyati ducks (456 duck hens and 96 drakes) were randomly distributed into 8
groups; four of which had a sex ratio of611 while the other four groups had a sex
ratio of 4:1 (duck henszdrake) of three replicates each, housed separately in floor
pens and exposed to a daily photoperiod of 17 hours up to the end of the experiment
at 60 weeks of age. To maintain this daily 17-hour photoperiod thr0ughout the
experimental period from 20 to 60 weeks of age, the length of natural day light was
supplemented with artificial light, providing light intensity levels of 1 5 (served as a
control), 10, 45 or 90 lux at birds' head level of the four experimental groups within
each sex ratio respectively.
The criteria of response were laying performance (age at sexual maturity, total
eggs number, laying rate%, egg weight, egg mass, feed consumption and feed
conversion), eggs fertility and hatchabiiity percentages, some egg quality traits (egg
weight, shell weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, shell thickness and egg shape
index), some morphological measurements on reproductive organs (testicular, ovarian
and oviduct weights and oviduct length), and concentrations of some blood
constituents (total protein, albumin and globulin), and gonadotrophic hormones (Ll
and FSH).
Significant differences were observed in total eggs number, laying rate %, egg
mass, feed intake and feed conversion; but were not observed in age at sexual
maturity or egg weight, due to the effects of supplementary light intensity level or sex
ratio, in favor of the 10—lux supplementary light intensity and 6:1 sex ratio
Eggs fertility and hatchabiiity were significantly improved by exposing ducks
with 6'1 sex ratio to the 10-lux supplementary light intensity, and no further
improvement was achieved upon subjecting the ducks to 45 or 90 lux.
With the exception of a higher oviduct weight achieved wrth the 6.1 sex ratio
neither supplementary light intensity level nor sex ratio affected significantly the
testicular and ovarian weight or the oviduct length.
Egg quality was not significantly influenced by either supplementary light
intensity level or sex ratio, except that a higher eggshell weight was achieved by the
exposure ofducks to supplementary light intensity levels of 10, 45 or 90 lux.
Significant differences were detected only in levels of blood plasma total protein
and globulin; in males at 40 weeks of age and in females at 60 weeks of age, due to
the effect of supplementary light intensiity level.
Significant supplementary light intensity level by sex ratio interactions were
found only for total eggs number, laying rate %, egg mass and feed conversion
whereas their effects were not interrelated for the other criteria.