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Full Research Article

Characterization and Assessment of Productive and Reproductive Performances of Indigenous Kuzi Ducks of Odisha

S
Subrat Kumar Bhanja1,*
M
Mahendra Kumar Padhi1
B
Bijaya Kumar Swain1
1Regional Station, ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Baramunda, Bhubaneswar-751 003, Odisha, India.

ABSTRACT

Background: Ducks constitute the second largest poultry species after chickens in India and are predominantly reared under traditional backyard farming systems. The present study was undertaken to characterize the indigenous Kuzi duck population reared in the coastal districts of Odisha and to document their morphological characteristics, production performance and reproductive traits under backyard production conditions.

Methods: The study was conducted through a field survey from September 2025 to March 2026 in the coastal districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, Odisha. Data were collected from 271 duck-rearing households on 1,320 indigenous Kuzi ducks, including 393 drakes, 552 ducks and 375 ducklings, using a structured survey schedule.

Result: The average flock size was 4.87 birds per household, comprising 29.77% drakes, 41.82% ducks and 28.41% ducklings. Morphological assessment revealed considerable variation in plumage colour, with black-and-white mixed plumage being the most common pattern. Yellow was the predominant bill colour, while yellow and orange were the major shank and feet colours. Significantly higher (P<0.01) sexual dimorphism was observed, with males exhibiting higher body weight (1.65 kg vs. 1.57 kg) and larger body measurements than females. Kuzi ducks demonstrated moderate production performance and good reproductive efficiency. The mean age at first egg was 185 days, annual egg production was 144 eggs and average clutch size was 24.5 egg. Fertility and hatchability were 84.16% and 74.73%, respectively. Egg quality parameters fall in the normal range with an average egg weight of 66.2 g, Haugh unit of 85.70 and shell thickness of 0.35 mm. These findings highlight the adaptability, reproductive efficiency and production potential of Kuzi ducks under backyard farming conditions and provide baseline information for their conservation, genetic improvement and sustainable utilization of indigenous duck genetic resources in coastal Odisha.

INTRODUCTION

The duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is an important poultry species in India, contributing significantly to both egg and meat production. Despite the rapid expansion of the Indian poultry industry, duck farming remains a relatively underdeveloped sector. According to the 20th Livestock Census, India possesses a duck population of approximately 33.51 million, accounting for about 4% of the total poultry population.
       
Duck farming is mainly concentrated in the coastal, riverine and wetland-rich states of West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Assam, where favourable agro-ecological conditions support duck production. In these regions, ducks are generally reared under backyard, scavenging, or semi-intensive systems (about 96.9% with 32.5 million) and constitute an important component of rural livelihoods. The abundance of natural feed resources, including aquatic weeds, insects, snails, fallen grains and small fish, makes duck farming an economically viable enterprise for small and marginal farmers.
       
According to the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS, 2022), indigenous layer ducks produce an average of 116.87 eggs annually under backyard conditions and 168.19 eggs under farm management, whereas improved ducks produce 179.54 and 209.65 eggs, respectively. The considerable variation in productivity among indigenous ducks indicates substantial scope for genetic improvement and scientific management interventions (Padhi and Giri, 2024). Several indigenous duck breeds of India have been registered by the ICAR-NBAGR, Karnal, including Pati and Nageswari ducks of Assam, Manipuri duck of Manipur, Tripureswari duck of Tripura, Maithili duck of Bihar, Kodo duck of Jharkhand, Kudu duck of Odisha, Kuttanad duck of Kerala and Andamani duck of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These region-specific genetic resources have evolved unique adaptive traits in response to local agro-climatic conditions and production systems (Kamal et al., 2020a,b; Kamal et al., 2023; Bhanja et al., 2025).
       
Odisha possesses a substantial indigenous duck population, particularly in its coastal districts and tribal regions, where ducks are traditionally reared under scavenging systems. These native ducks are well adapted to local climatic conditions and are valued for their hardiness, disease resistance and ability to thrive under low-input management. Household flock sizes generally range from 2 to 9 birds (Das, 2024) and ducks are often integrated into mixed farming systems, contributing to household nutrition, food security and income generation.
       
As per the 20th Livestock Census (Anonymous, 2019), Odisha has a duck population of approximately 3.51 lakh, of which nearly 40% is concentrated in the coastal districts. Despite the sizeable population and economic importance of indigenous ducks in these areas, systematic information on their phenotypic characteristics and productive performance remains limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to characterize the indigenous Kuzi ducks reared in the coastal districts of Odisha and to document their morphological, morphometric, production and reproductive traits under traditional backyard farming systems. The findings are expected to provide baseline information for the conservation, genetic improvement and sustainable utilization of this valuable indigenous duck genetic resource.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Survey site
 
The indigenous duck populations of the coastal districts of Puri (19.28°-20.13°N, 84.29°-86.25°E; 3,479 km2), Jagatsinghpur (19.58°-20.23°N, 86.30°-86.45°E; 1,759 km2) and Kendrapara (20.20°-20.37°N, 86.14°-87.01°E; 2,644 km²) were surveyed. A total of 18 blocks with relatively high duck populations were selected for the study. Efforts were made to cover the maximum number of Gram Panchayats and villages where indigenous ducks are traditionally reared by local farmers, ensuring broad representation of the native duck population across the coastal region.
 
Morphological parameters
 
The survey was conducted by the scientists of ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Regional Station, Bhubaneswar from September, 2025 to March 2026 to collect data on native Kuzi ducks. The survey aimed to include over 271 duck farmers and a total of approximately 1320 ducks across the district. During the visits, data were recorded on the flock size, including adult male ducks (drakes, >12 months), adult female ducks and ducklings (up to two months of age). The proportion of each category was calculated as a percentage of the total flock size using the formula:
 
  
       
Body weight measurements were taken for each category using a digital balance (APP-TECH, India model: ATT Class-II) with a precision of 0.05 g. Feather color and pattern were observed visually for various body parts (head, neck, belly, wings and tail) in both male and female ducks. The percentage of birds exhibiting each feather color for a given body part was calculated as:
 
  
       
The morphometric parameters like bill length (tip of beak to base of beak) and width (over the point of nostrils), head length (base of beak to condyle occipital or the atlantoaxial joint) and width and the length of shank (between hock joint and feet, the tarsometatarsus) were measured using a slide caliper (Mitutoyo Corp., Japan, Model: CD-8"CSK) and expressed in cm. Whereas, the  length of neck (between first and last cervical vertebrae), length of body (between tip of beak and end of tail), length of breast (length of keel bone), wing span (between tips, extremity of the terminal phalanx of both the wings when extended), circumference of the body (under the wing through the anterior border of the breast bone crest and the central thoracic vertebrae) were measured using a measuring tape and expressed in cm.
       
The farmers were also asked about the age at first egg (d), annual egg production (no), clutch length (no) and clutch interval (d), production period (months) in their ducks. The data related to fertility percentage and hatchability on total egg set was derived based on the information provided by the farmer.
 
Statistical analysis
 
The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS software (version 2021). Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard error and range were computed. For morphometric parameters, one-way ANOVA was performed to assess differences between male and female ducks. The significance of mean differences was evaluated using Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955), with significance levels set at p<0.05 and p<0.01.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Flock size
 
A survey of indigenous Kuzi ducks was conducted in the coastal districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, Odisha, covering 271 duck-rearing households. Data were collected from 1,320 birds, comprising 393 drakes, 552 ducks and 375 ducklings. The average flock size was 4.87 birds per household, consisting of 1.45 drakes (29.77%), 2.04 ducks (41.82%) and 1.38 ducklings (28.41%) (Table 1). The predominance of small flock sizes reflects the traditional backyard nature of duck farming in coastal Odisha, where farmers generally maintain a higher proportion of female birds to maximize egg production.

Table 1: The flock size and proportion of drakes, ducks and ducklings reared by the farmer in coastal districts of Odisha.


       
The present findings are consistent with those of Das (2024), who reported flock sizes ranging from 2 to 9 birds among indigenous ducks in Odisha. In another study Kamal et al., (2019) reported a flock size of 9-30 in indigenous duck of Odisha. In contrast, a recent study on Kudu ducks recorded an average flock size exceeding 10 birds, with ducks constituting 48.79% of the flock. Similarly, Kamal et al., (2020a) reported an average flock size of 6.01±0.01 birds in Maithili ducks. Variations in flock size among indigenous duck populations may be attributed to differences in the availability of scavenging feed resources, management practices and the socio-economic conditions of farmers across regions (Bhanja et al., 2025).
 
Morphological characteristics
 
Considerable variation in plumage colour patterns was observed among Kuzi ducks across different body regions in both sexes. In females, black-and-white mixed plumage was the predominant colour pattern, particularly on the wings (49.89%), back (47.84%), tail (41.91%), body (40.55%) and head (34.40%). Multicoloured plumage comprising black, brown and white was also common, especially in body colour (38.27%). Black plumage was mainly confined to the head, neck and tail regions, whereas white colouration was more frequently observed on the neck and head (Table 2). A similar trend was observed in males, where black-and-white mixed plumage predominated on the wings (48.09%), back (47.84%), tail (47.33%), neck (36.39%) and body (55.73%). Black plumage was primarily observed on the head and tail, while brown colouration occurred more frequently on the wings, back and neck. Peacock-green colouration was restricted mainly to the head and neck and was absent from the wings and tail.

Table 2: Body colour pattern of Kuzi ducks.


       
The analysis of bill, shank and feet colour revealed that yellow was the predominant colour in both sexes (Table 3). In females, yellow bill colour was observed in 64.69% of birds, followed by yellow-black mixed (18.00%) and black (11.16%). Orange and yellow were the major shank and feet colours, with orange being more prevalent in the shank (46.24%) and feet (47.15%). Similarly, males exhibited predominantly yellow bills (62.34%), followed by yellow-black mixed bills (20.36%). Orange and yellow were also the dominant shank and feet colours, with orange accounting for 36.90% and 34.10% of shank and feet colouration, respectively. Black, grey and pink colour variants occurred at relatively low frequencies.

Table 3: Analysis of colour pattern of beak, shank and feet in Kuzi birds.


       
The wide variation in plumage colour observed in Kuzi ducks is consistent with earlier reports on indigenous duck populations of Odisha (Padhi, 2010; Padhi, 2014), indicating the heterogeneous nature of native duck genetic resources. Similar variability has been reported in other indigenous duck populations of India. Native layer ducks are generally considered to possess morphological and productive characteristics resembling those of the Indian Runner duck. In Andaman local ducks, drakes typically exhibit grey-brown to blackish-brown plumage with orange bills and bright orange feet (Senani et al., 2005). Sujatha et al., (2021) further reported grey, black and chocolate plumage colours in Andaman ducks, often accompanied by a distinct white neck band. The Tripureswri duck possess predominantly dark brown plumage, while their head colour varies with shades of green, black, white, brown and grey (Kumar and Dwivedi, 2025).
       
In Pati ducks, males are characterized by dark brown plumage with a greyish-black head and black-and-white tail feathers, whereas females are predominantly brown. A white neck ring may or may not be present in either sex. Yellow bill, shank and feet colouration have been consistently reported in this breed (Kaushik et al., 2021; Sujatha et al., 2021). Dutta et al., (2025) observed that bill colour in Pati ducks ranged from yellow to orange, while the feet were uniformly orange in both sexes and similar colour pattern was also reported in Tripureswari ducks (Kumar and Dwivedi, 2025). They also reported a characteristic greenish sheen on the head of males belonging to the blackish-brown plumage group, a trait absent in females. A comparable sexual dimorphism was observed in Kudu ducks, where drakes exhibited black or peacock-green head colouration, whereas females lacked this distinctive feature (Bhanja et al., 2025). The occurrence of peacock-green colouration on the head and neck of Kuzi drakes observed in the present study further supports this pattern of sex-linked plumage differentiation among indigenous duck populations.
 
Conformation traits
 
The morphometric evaluation of adult Kuzi ducks revealed pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males exhibiting significantly (P<0.01) higher values than females for most body measurements (Table 4). Adult body weight was significantly greater in males (1.65 kg) than in females (1.57 kg). Similarly, males recorded significantly higher bill length (51.54 mm) and bill width (27.22 mm) compared to females (49.08 mm and 24.57 mm, respectively). Head length was also significantly (P<0.01) greater in males (52.66 mm) than in females (49.99 mm), although head width did not differ significantly between sexes. Neck length was significantly longer in males (17.38 cm) than in females (16.03 cm).

Table 4: Conformation traits of male and female Kuzi ducks.


       
Other body conformation traits, including breast length, body length, wing span, body girth and shank length, were also significantly (P<0.01) higher in males. Male birds exhibited greater breast length, body length, wing span, body girth and shank length compared to those of females.  These findings indicate a clear pattern of sexual dimorphism in Kuzi ducks, with males being larger and possessing more developed body conformation traits than females.  
       
The present results are in agreement with previous reports (Cyriac et al., 2020) on indigenous duck populations where these birds attained a body weight of 1.085 kg by 8 weeks of age (Padhi et al., 2009). Kamal et al., (2019) also reported a similar adult body weight (1.41-1.80 kg) in indigenous duck of Odisha. Subsequently, Padhi et al., (2022 a,b) observed higher 8-week body weights (1.231-1.388 kg) in Kuzi ducks than in Kudu ducks, which was attributed to improved farm management and feeding practices. Padhi (2010) also reported higher adult body weights in indigenous ducks maintained under better management conditions, highlighting the influence of environmental and nutritional factors on growth performance.
       
Padhi and Sahoo (2012) reported a shank length of approximately 6.0 cm in indigenous ducks of Odisha, which is comparable to the values observed in the present study. Similarly, Padhi et al., (2009) found bill lengths close to 6.0 cm in native ducks, indicating substantial agreement with the present observations. Comparable sexual dimorphism has also been reported in Andaman local ducks. Sujatha et al., (2021) observed that drakes possessed significantly larger body measurements, including bill length, bill width, head length, neck length, wing span and shank length, than females. The overall morphometric measurements reported for Andaman ducks were smaller than those of indigenous duck of Odisha (Padhi et al., 2009; Padhi and Sahoo, 2012). Similar trends have also been documented in other indigenous duck populations of India, suggesting that sexual dimorphism in body conformation is a common characteristic of native duck genetic resources.
 
Egg production, fertility and hatchability in kuzi duck
 
The production and reproductive performance of Kuzi ducks indicated moderate egg production ability coupled with good reproductive efficiency (Table 5). The mean age at first egg was 185.06 days, suggesting that the birds attain sexual maturity at approximately six months of age. The average annual egg production was 143.64 eggs per duck, reflecting a satisfactory laying performance under traditional backyard management conditions. The mean clutch size and clutch interval were 24.46 eggs and 39.98 days, respectively. Furthermore, the laying cycle extended up to 17.69 months, indicating prolonged laying persistence in the breed. Reproductive performance was encouraging, with fertility and hatchability on total eggs set (TES) recorded at 84.16% and 74.73%, respectively. These values demonstrate the good reproductive potential and natural breeding ability of Kuzi ducks under low-input production systems.

Table 5: Production and reproduction performance of Kuzi ducks.


       
The annual egg production recorded in the present study was higher than that reported for Andaman ducks (110 eggs) (Senani et al., 2005), Pati ducks of Assam (47-90 eggs) (Kaushik et al., 2021) and Maithili ducks of the middle gangetic plains (30-60 eggs) (Kamal et al., 2020a). However, Padhi et al., (2021) reported a substantially higher annual egg production of 218 eggs in Kuzi ducks maintained under intensive management systems. The superior performance under intensive rearing highlights the influence of improved nutrition, housing and health care on egg production. Similarly, Bhuiyan et al., (2017) reported an annual egg production of 204 eggs in Nageswari ducks of Bangladesh, indicating a comparatively higher genetic potential for egg production in that breed.
       
The fertility percentage observed in the present study was comparable to that reported for Pati ducks (83.74%; range 70-90%) by Kaushik et al., (2021). However, the hatchability of Kuzi ducks (74.73%) was considerably higher than the hatchability reported for Pati ducks (59.68%). The higher hatchability recorded in Kuzi ducks suggests better reproductive fitness and adaptability under backyard production conditions. Overall, the results indicate that Kuzi ducks possess desirable reproductive traits with good laying performance, making them a valuable indigenous genetic resource for sustainable backyard duck farming in coastal Odisha.
 
Egg quality in kuzi duck
 
The egg quality characteristics of Kuzi ducks revealed desirable internal and external quality traits (Table 6). The average egg weight was 66.17 g, indicating that Kuzi ducks produce moderately large eggs. The mean shape index was 73.65%, suggesting a normal oval shape preferred for both hatching and table egg purposes. The proportions of albumen, yolk and shell were 55.32%, 33.73% and 9.97%, respectively. The relatively high albumen percentage reflects good protein content and superior internal egg quality, while the yolk proportion provides an adequate nutrient reserve for embryonic development. The albumen index and yolk index were 0.10 and 0.41, respectively, indicating satisfactory freshness and structural integrity of the egg contents. The Haugh unit score which measures albumen quality and egg freshness, averaged 85.70 reflecting excellent internal egg quality. The mean shell thickness (without membrane) was 0.35 mm, suggesting adequate shell strength and resistance to breakage during handling, storage and incubation.
       
The average egg weight recorded in the present study was higher than those reported for Andaman ducks (51.13±2.16 g) by Senani et al., (2005) and Pati ducks (60.5 g) by Kaushik et al., (2021). The comparatively higher egg weight observed in Kuzi ducks may be attributed to the age of the laying birds, as most eggs were collected from ducks older than one year. The egg quality parameters observed in the present study were within the normal range reported for indigenous ducks and Khaki Campbell ducks (Swain et al., 2026), indicating good egg freshness and quality under backyard production conditions. The high Haugh unit score and satisfactory shell thickness further demonstrate the suitability of Kuzi duck eggs for both consumption and hatching purposes.

CONCLUSION

The study concluded that native ducks are medium in size, with conformation traits and body weight indicating their suitability for both meat and egg production. They also exhibit a diverse range of colours across different body parts and yellow or yellow black bill and orange shank and feet were some of the distinct features across the Kuzi duck population.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Research was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Government of India, New Delhi and ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) Karnal, Haryana to carry out this survey work. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest regarding this research work.

REFERENCES


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    Full Research Article

    Characterization and Assessment of Productive and Reproductive Performances of Indigenous Kuzi Ducks of Odisha

    S
    Subrat Kumar Bhanja1,*
    M
    Mahendra Kumar Padhi1
    B
    Bijaya Kumar Swain1
    1Regional Station, ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Baramunda, Bhubaneswar-751 003, Odisha, India.

    ABSTRACT

    Background: Ducks constitute the second largest poultry species after chickens in India and are predominantly reared under traditional backyard farming systems. The present study was undertaken to characterize the indigenous Kuzi duck population reared in the coastal districts of Odisha and to document their morphological characteristics, production performance and reproductive traits under backyard production conditions.

    Methods: The study was conducted through a field survey from September 2025 to March 2026 in the coastal districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, Odisha. Data were collected from 271 duck-rearing households on 1,320 indigenous Kuzi ducks, including 393 drakes, 552 ducks and 375 ducklings, using a structured survey schedule.

    Result: The average flock size was 4.87 birds per household, comprising 29.77% drakes, 41.82% ducks and 28.41% ducklings. Morphological assessment revealed considerable variation in plumage colour, with black-and-white mixed plumage being the most common pattern. Yellow was the predominant bill colour, while yellow and orange were the major shank and feet colours. Significantly higher (P<0.01) sexual dimorphism was observed, with males exhibiting higher body weight (1.65 kg vs. 1.57 kg) and larger body measurements than females. Kuzi ducks demonstrated moderate production performance and good reproductive efficiency. The mean age at first egg was 185 days, annual egg production was 144 eggs and average clutch size was 24.5 egg. Fertility and hatchability were 84.16% and 74.73%, respectively. Egg quality parameters fall in the normal range with an average egg weight of 66.2 g, Haugh unit of 85.70 and shell thickness of 0.35 mm. These findings highlight the adaptability, reproductive efficiency and production potential of Kuzi ducks under backyard farming conditions and provide baseline information for their conservation, genetic improvement and sustainable utilization of indigenous duck genetic resources in coastal Odisha.

    INTRODUCTION

    The duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is an important poultry species in India, contributing significantly to both egg and meat production. Despite the rapid expansion of the Indian poultry industry, duck farming remains a relatively underdeveloped sector. According to the 20th Livestock Census, India possesses a duck population of approximately 33.51 million, accounting for about 4% of the total poultry population.
           
    Duck farming is mainly concentrated in the coastal, riverine and wetland-rich states of West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Assam, where favourable agro-ecological conditions support duck production. In these regions, ducks are generally reared under backyard, scavenging, or semi-intensive systems (about 96.9% with 32.5 million) and constitute an important component of rural livelihoods. The abundance of natural feed resources, including aquatic weeds, insects, snails, fallen grains and small fish, makes duck farming an economically viable enterprise for small and marginal farmers.
           
    According to the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS, 2022), indigenous layer ducks produce an average of 116.87 eggs annually under backyard conditions and 168.19 eggs under farm management, whereas improved ducks produce 179.54 and 209.65 eggs, respectively. The considerable variation in productivity among indigenous ducks indicates substantial scope for genetic improvement and scientific management interventions (Padhi and Giri, 2024). Several indigenous duck breeds of India have been registered by the ICAR-NBAGR, Karnal, including Pati and Nageswari ducks of Assam, Manipuri duck of Manipur, Tripureswari duck of Tripura, Maithili duck of Bihar, Kodo duck of Jharkhand, Kudu duck of Odisha, Kuttanad duck of Kerala and Andamani duck of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These region-specific genetic resources have evolved unique adaptive traits in response to local agro-climatic conditions and production systems (Kamal et al., 2020a,b; Kamal et al., 2023; Bhanja et al., 2025).
           
    Odisha possesses a substantial indigenous duck population, particularly in its coastal districts and tribal regions, where ducks are traditionally reared under scavenging systems. These native ducks are well adapted to local climatic conditions and are valued for their hardiness, disease resistance and ability to thrive under low-input management. Household flock sizes generally range from 2 to 9 birds (Das, 2024) and ducks are often integrated into mixed farming systems, contributing to household nutrition, food security and income generation.
           
    As per the 20th Livestock Census (Anonymous, 2019), Odisha has a duck population of approximately 3.51 lakh, of which nearly 40% is concentrated in the coastal districts. Despite the sizeable population and economic importance of indigenous ducks in these areas, systematic information on their phenotypic characteristics and productive performance remains limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to characterize the indigenous Kuzi ducks reared in the coastal districts of Odisha and to document their morphological, morphometric, production and reproductive traits under traditional backyard farming systems. The findings are expected to provide baseline information for the conservation, genetic improvement and sustainable utilization of this valuable indigenous duck genetic resource.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    Survey site
     
    The indigenous duck populations of the coastal districts of Puri (19.28°-20.13°N, 84.29°-86.25°E; 3,479 km2), Jagatsinghpur (19.58°-20.23°N, 86.30°-86.45°E; 1,759 km2) and Kendrapara (20.20°-20.37°N, 86.14°-87.01°E; 2,644 km²) were surveyed. A total of 18 blocks with relatively high duck populations were selected for the study. Efforts were made to cover the maximum number of Gram Panchayats and villages where indigenous ducks are traditionally reared by local farmers, ensuring broad representation of the native duck population across the coastal region.
     
    Morphological parameters
     
    The survey was conducted by the scientists of ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Regional Station, Bhubaneswar from September, 2025 to March 2026 to collect data on native Kuzi ducks. The survey aimed to include over 271 duck farmers and a total of approximately 1320 ducks across the district. During the visits, data were recorded on the flock size, including adult male ducks (drakes, >12 months), adult female ducks and ducklings (up to two months of age). The proportion of each category was calculated as a percentage of the total flock size using the formula:
     
      
           
    Body weight measurements were taken for each category using a digital balance (APP-TECH, India model: ATT Class-II) with a precision of 0.05 g. Feather color and pattern were observed visually for various body parts (head, neck, belly, wings and tail) in both male and female ducks. The percentage of birds exhibiting each feather color for a given body part was calculated as:
     
      
           
    The morphometric parameters like bill length (tip of beak to base of beak) and width (over the point of nostrils), head length (base of beak to condyle occipital or the atlantoaxial joint) and width and the length of shank (between hock joint and feet, the tarsometatarsus) were measured using a slide caliper (Mitutoyo Corp., Japan, Model: CD-8"CSK) and expressed in cm. Whereas, the  length of neck (between first and last cervical vertebrae), length of body (between tip of beak and end of tail), length of breast (length of keel bone), wing span (between tips, extremity of the terminal phalanx of both the wings when extended), circumference of the body (under the wing through the anterior border of the breast bone crest and the central thoracic vertebrae) were measured using a measuring tape and expressed in cm.
           
    The farmers were also asked about the age at first egg (d), annual egg production (no), clutch length (no) and clutch interval (d), production period (months) in their ducks. The data related to fertility percentage and hatchability on total egg set was derived based on the information provided by the farmer.
     
    Statistical analysis
     
    The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS software (version 2021). Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard error and range were computed. For morphometric parameters, one-way ANOVA was performed to assess differences between male and female ducks. The significance of mean differences was evaluated using Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955), with significance levels set at p<0.05 and p<0.01.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    Flock size
     
    A survey of indigenous Kuzi ducks was conducted in the coastal districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, Odisha, covering 271 duck-rearing households. Data were collected from 1,320 birds, comprising 393 drakes, 552 ducks and 375 ducklings. The average flock size was 4.87 birds per household, consisting of 1.45 drakes (29.77%), 2.04 ducks (41.82%) and 1.38 ducklings (28.41%) (Table 1). The predominance of small flock sizes reflects the traditional backyard nature of duck farming in coastal Odisha, where farmers generally maintain a higher proportion of female birds to maximize egg production.

    Table 1: The flock size and proportion of drakes, ducks and ducklings reared by the farmer in coastal districts of Odisha.


           
    The present findings are consistent with those of Das (2024), who reported flock sizes ranging from 2 to 9 birds among indigenous ducks in Odisha. In another study Kamal et al., (2019) reported a flock size of 9-30 in indigenous duck of Odisha. In contrast, a recent study on Kudu ducks recorded an average flock size exceeding 10 birds, with ducks constituting 48.79% of the flock. Similarly, Kamal et al., (2020a) reported an average flock size of 6.01±0.01 birds in Maithili ducks. Variations in flock size among indigenous duck populations may be attributed to differences in the availability of scavenging feed resources, management practices and the socio-economic conditions of farmers across regions (Bhanja et al., 2025).
     
    Morphological characteristics
     
    Considerable variation in plumage colour patterns was observed among Kuzi ducks across different body regions in both sexes. In females, black-and-white mixed plumage was the predominant colour pattern, particularly on the wings (49.89%), back (47.84%), tail (41.91%), body (40.55%) and head (34.40%). Multicoloured plumage comprising black, brown and white was also common, especially in body colour (38.27%). Black plumage was mainly confined to the head, neck and tail regions, whereas white colouration was more frequently observed on the neck and head (Table 2). A similar trend was observed in males, where black-and-white mixed plumage predominated on the wings (48.09%), back (47.84%), tail (47.33%), neck (36.39%) and body (55.73%). Black plumage was primarily observed on the head and tail, while brown colouration occurred more frequently on the wings, back and neck. Peacock-green colouration was restricted mainly to the head and neck and was absent from the wings and tail.

    Table 2: Body colour pattern of Kuzi ducks.


           
    The analysis of bill, shank and feet colour revealed that yellow was the predominant colour in both sexes (Table 3). In females, yellow bill colour was observed in 64.69% of birds, followed by yellow-black mixed (18.00%) and black (11.16%). Orange and yellow were the major shank and feet colours, with orange being more prevalent in the shank (46.24%) and feet (47.15%). Similarly, males exhibited predominantly yellow bills (62.34%), followed by yellow-black mixed bills (20.36%). Orange and yellow were also the dominant shank and feet colours, with orange accounting for 36.90% and 34.10% of shank and feet colouration, respectively. Black, grey and pink colour variants occurred at relatively low frequencies.

    Table 3: Analysis of colour pattern of beak, shank and feet in Kuzi birds.


           
    The wide variation in plumage colour observed in Kuzi ducks is consistent with earlier reports on indigenous duck populations of Odisha (Padhi, 2010; Padhi, 2014), indicating the heterogeneous nature of native duck genetic resources. Similar variability has been reported in other indigenous duck populations of India. Native layer ducks are generally considered to possess morphological and productive characteristics resembling those of the Indian Runner duck. In Andaman local ducks, drakes typically exhibit grey-brown to blackish-brown plumage with orange bills and bright orange feet (Senani et al., 2005). Sujatha et al., (2021) further reported grey, black and chocolate plumage colours in Andaman ducks, often accompanied by a distinct white neck band. The Tripureswri duck possess predominantly dark brown plumage, while their head colour varies with shades of green, black, white, brown and grey (Kumar and Dwivedi, 2025).
           
    In Pati ducks, males are characterized by dark brown plumage with a greyish-black head and black-and-white tail feathers, whereas females are predominantly brown. A white neck ring may or may not be present in either sex. Yellow bill, shank and feet colouration have been consistently reported in this breed (Kaushik et al., 2021; Sujatha et al., 2021). Dutta et al., (2025) observed that bill colour in Pati ducks ranged from yellow to orange, while the feet were uniformly orange in both sexes and similar colour pattern was also reported in Tripureswari ducks (Kumar and Dwivedi, 2025). They also reported a characteristic greenish sheen on the head of males belonging to the blackish-brown plumage group, a trait absent in females. A comparable sexual dimorphism was observed in Kudu ducks, where drakes exhibited black or peacock-green head colouration, whereas females lacked this distinctive feature (Bhanja et al., 2025). The occurrence of peacock-green colouration on the head and neck of Kuzi drakes observed in the present study further supports this pattern of sex-linked plumage differentiation among indigenous duck populations.
     
    Conformation traits
     
    The morphometric evaluation of adult Kuzi ducks revealed pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males exhibiting significantly (P<0.01) higher values than females for most body measurements (Table 4). Adult body weight was significantly greater in males (1.65 kg) than in females (1.57 kg). Similarly, males recorded significantly higher bill length (51.54 mm) and bill width (27.22 mm) compared to females (49.08 mm and 24.57 mm, respectively). Head length was also significantly (P<0.01) greater in males (52.66 mm) than in females (49.99 mm), although head width did not differ significantly between sexes. Neck length was significantly longer in males (17.38 cm) than in females (16.03 cm).

    Table 4: Conformation traits of male and female Kuzi ducks.


           
    Other body conformation traits, including breast length, body length, wing span, body girth and shank length, were also significantly (P<0.01) higher in males. Male birds exhibited greater breast length, body length, wing span, body girth and shank length compared to those of females.  These findings indicate a clear pattern of sexual dimorphism in Kuzi ducks, with males being larger and possessing more developed body conformation traits than females.  
           
    The present results are in agreement with previous reports (Cyriac et al., 2020) on indigenous duck populations where these birds attained a body weight of 1.085 kg by 8 weeks of age (Padhi et al., 2009). Kamal et al., (2019) also reported a similar adult body weight (1.41-1.80 kg) in indigenous duck of Odisha. Subsequently, Padhi et al., (2022 a,b) observed higher 8-week body weights (1.231-1.388 kg) in Kuzi ducks than in Kudu ducks, which was attributed to improved farm management and feeding practices. Padhi (2010) also reported higher adult body weights in indigenous ducks maintained under better management conditions, highlighting the influence of environmental and nutritional factors on growth performance.
           
    Padhi and Sahoo (2012) reported a shank length of approximately 6.0 cm in indigenous ducks of Odisha, which is comparable to the values observed in the present study. Similarly, Padhi et al., (2009) found bill lengths close to 6.0 cm in native ducks, indicating substantial agreement with the present observations. Comparable sexual dimorphism has also been reported in Andaman local ducks. Sujatha et al., (2021) observed that drakes possessed significantly larger body measurements, including bill length, bill width, head length, neck length, wing span and shank length, than females. The overall morphometric measurements reported for Andaman ducks were smaller than those of indigenous duck of Odisha (Padhi et al., 2009; Padhi and Sahoo, 2012). Similar trends have also been documented in other indigenous duck populations of India, suggesting that sexual dimorphism in body conformation is a common characteristic of native duck genetic resources.
     
    Egg production, fertility and hatchability in kuzi duck
     
    The production and reproductive performance of Kuzi ducks indicated moderate egg production ability coupled with good reproductive efficiency (Table 5). The mean age at first egg was 185.06 days, suggesting that the birds attain sexual maturity at approximately six months of age. The average annual egg production was 143.64 eggs per duck, reflecting a satisfactory laying performance under traditional backyard management conditions. The mean clutch size and clutch interval were 24.46 eggs and 39.98 days, respectively. Furthermore, the laying cycle extended up to 17.69 months, indicating prolonged laying persistence in the breed. Reproductive performance was encouraging, with fertility and hatchability on total eggs set (TES) recorded at 84.16% and 74.73%, respectively. These values demonstrate the good reproductive potential and natural breeding ability of Kuzi ducks under low-input production systems.

    Table 5: Production and reproduction performance of Kuzi ducks.


           
    The annual egg production recorded in the present study was higher than that reported for Andaman ducks (110 eggs) (Senani et al., 2005), Pati ducks of Assam (47-90 eggs) (Kaushik et al., 2021) and Maithili ducks of the middle gangetic plains (30-60 eggs) (Kamal et al., 2020a). However, Padhi et al., (2021) reported a substantially higher annual egg production of 218 eggs in Kuzi ducks maintained under intensive management systems. The superior performance under intensive rearing highlights the influence of improved nutrition, housing and health care on egg production. Similarly, Bhuiyan et al., (2017) reported an annual egg production of 204 eggs in Nageswari ducks of Bangladesh, indicating a comparatively higher genetic potential for egg production in that breed.
           
    The fertility percentage observed in the present study was comparable to that reported for Pati ducks (83.74%; range 70-90%) by Kaushik et al., (2021). However, the hatchability of Kuzi ducks (74.73%) was considerably higher than the hatchability reported for Pati ducks (59.68%). The higher hatchability recorded in Kuzi ducks suggests better reproductive fitness and adaptability under backyard production conditions. Overall, the results indicate that Kuzi ducks possess desirable reproductive traits with good laying performance, making them a valuable indigenous genetic resource for sustainable backyard duck farming in coastal Odisha.
     
    Egg quality in kuzi duck
     
    The egg quality characteristics of Kuzi ducks revealed desirable internal and external quality traits (Table 6). The average egg weight was 66.17 g, indicating that Kuzi ducks produce moderately large eggs. The mean shape index was 73.65%, suggesting a normal oval shape preferred for both hatching and table egg purposes. The proportions of albumen, yolk and shell were 55.32%, 33.73% and 9.97%, respectively. The relatively high albumen percentage reflects good protein content and superior internal egg quality, while the yolk proportion provides an adequate nutrient reserve for embryonic development. The albumen index and yolk index were 0.10 and 0.41, respectively, indicating satisfactory freshness and structural integrity of the egg contents. The Haugh unit score which measures albumen quality and egg freshness, averaged 85.70 reflecting excellent internal egg quality. The mean shell thickness (without membrane) was 0.35 mm, suggesting adequate shell strength and resistance to breakage during handling, storage and incubation.
           
    The average egg weight recorded in the present study was higher than those reported for Andaman ducks (51.13±2.16 g) by Senani et al., (2005) and Pati ducks (60.5 g) by Kaushik et al., (2021). The comparatively higher egg weight observed in Kuzi ducks may be attributed to the age of the laying birds, as most eggs were collected from ducks older than one year. The egg quality parameters observed in the present study were within the normal range reported for indigenous ducks and Khaki Campbell ducks (Swain et al., 2026), indicating good egg freshness and quality under backyard production conditions. The high Haugh unit score and satisfactory shell thickness further demonstrate the suitability of Kuzi duck eggs for both consumption and hatching purposes.

    CONCLUSION

    The study concluded that native ducks are medium in size, with conformation traits and body weight indicating their suitability for both meat and egg production. They also exhibit a diverse range of colours across different body parts and yellow or yellow black bill and orange shank and feet were some of the distinct features across the Kuzi duck population.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    Research was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Government of India, New Delhi and ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) Karnal, Haryana to carry out this survey work. 

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest regarding this research work.

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