a) What feed restrictions are practiced?

It is usual to control the feed provided to young breeders during the rearing period. No feed controls are applied to ducks raised for meat.

b) Are cages used for 'elite' stock?

Elite breeding ducks are individually penned for a short period with free access to feed and drinking water and visual and social contact with other ducks.

c) How widespread is the use of artificial insemination?

Artificial insemination is not practiced in duck breeding in the UK.

d) What are the main diseases suffered by intensively-reared ducks?

Indoor reared ducks are not prone to any particular diseases. By keeping ducks inside it is possible to exercise a high level of bio-security thus protecting the birds from contact with the serious diseases that affect wild populations of duck and can be transmitted to farmed ducks, ie Duck Viral Hepatitis, Duck Viral Enteritis, Pasteurella Multocida and Avian Influenza.

e) What problems have been observed with leg weakness?

There are no problems observed with leg weakness in ducks.

f) What problems have arisen in slaughtering ducks?

There are no particular problems in slaughtering ducks. If waterbath stunning is used, care must be taken to ensure that the duck's head is immersed to get a proper stun. It is the plant operator's responsibility to ensure this is carried out properly.

The whole process is overseen by the Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) employed by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS). There is a legal requirement to have a licenced back-up slaughterman present in all slaughterhouses. In addition, companies employ Welfare Officers to provide in-company monitoring and management of the live bird part of the process.

In March 2004 the MHS published a report that confirmed that there is a good standard of animal welfare in UK slaughterhouses. Recently, the Government issued an amendment to The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended) (WASK). The amendment permits the wider use of the new percussive device producing immediate death, to include its use when killing poultry in emergencies, and will reduce the maximum time ducks may be hung before being stunned from three minutes to two minutes.

g) How widespread are the problems associated with wet litter?

There are no particular problems associated with wet litter.

Keeping ducks dry and clean by the daily addition of new straw is a key element of good husbandry.

The physical condition of all ducks is checked throughout the day on the farm. In addition, all ducks are checked by both Official Veterinary Surgeon and by the Company Welfare Officer, where designated, at the processing plants.

h) Why is there a lack of water of sufficient depth to avoid eye problems?

We are not aware that current methods of providing water result in eye problems.

i) What number of ducks are slaughtered annually in the UK and how many eggs, ducklings and breeding stock are exported?

The UK authorities gather data relating to ducks and geese together. Approximately 20 million ducks and geese are slaughtered annually. The UK exports approximately 5500 ducks and geese for breeding purposes annually. Export data relating to eggs are not broken down by species, and, consequently, it is not possible to provide a figure of the number of duck eggs exported from the UK annually.

j) What are the average mortality rates of ducks in intensive production?

Average mortality rates two to five per cent, with the majority occurring in the first 14 days, ie day-olds that never start to grow after hatching.

In the wild, the rate of mortality in juvenile ducks is more than 90 per cent.

k) How many ducks are killed in the UK each year using 'Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction'?

Only methods of killing which have been assessed as humane are permitted to be used for the disposal of ducklings. WASK regulations allow for ducklings to be disposed by Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction, provided that they are less than 72 hours old. It is a legal requirement that the capacity of the Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction is such that every duckling is killed immediately. No data is available relating to the number of ducklings killed by this method annually in the UK. No ducks are killed by this method, as there is no provision in WASK for adult ducks, or for ducklings of over 72 hours of age, to be killed by Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction.

l) For what reason would the above method be employed?

Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction can be used to dispose of hatchery waste: unhatched eggs, embryos and ducklings under 72 hours of age. The method is used for destruction of surplus male ducklings by a breeder unit. Where movement restrictions imposed as part of measures to control a disease outbreak mean that a producer could not move ducklings from a hatchery to another unit to be finished, this device would be used. Unhealthy ducklings could also be euthanised via this route.