DIVERSE DUCKS: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF BREED AND SEX ON SERUM BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN WHITE PEKIN AND INDIGENOUS DUCKS OF TAMIL NADU

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of breed and sex on serum biochemical profiles in White Pekin and Indigenous ducks of Tamil Nadu. The research was conducted at the Post Graduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences (PGRIAS), Kattupakkam, with a sample size of eighty ducks, consisting of 20 males and 20 females from each breed. The ducks were raised under standardized management conditions, and blood samples were collected every four weeks from the 20th week for two months. Parameters such as Total Serum Protein, Serum Albumin, Serum Globulin, Serum Calcium, Serum Cholesterol, and Serum Triglyceride were evaluated. The findings demonstrated that White Pekin ducks had significantly higher Total Serum Protein, Serum Albumin, and Serum Globulin (P<0.01), while Serum Triglyceride levels were significantly higher (P<0.01) in Indigenous ducks of Tamil Nadu. Among sexes, female Indigenous ducks had significantly higher (P<0.05) Total Serum Protein and Serum Globulin than male ducks. Serum Cholesterol and Serum Calcium were significantly higher in female White Pekin and Indigenous ducks of Tamil Nadu compared to male ducks. In conclusion, the study established that breed and sex significantly affect serum biochemical parameters in White Pekin and Indigenous ducks of Tamil Nadu.