The improved white Pekin duck offers greater egg production, hatch and livability
Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. recently launched an improved strain of white Pekin duck parent stock that offers enhanced breeder performance for the genetic component of its INDUX® Integrated Duck Production System. This enhanced duck breeding stock is the result of a multi-year natural selection project that was driven by feedback from the technical services staff who support INDUX customers.
“Our duck has long been known for its superior meat yield and feed conversion ratio. And now, we are offering improved parent stock with hens that produce more eggs per cycle and more productive drakes,” said International Sales Director Dan Harper, who manages sales outside of China. “In head-to-head trials with our competitors’ parent stock, this improved stock also had greater livability.”
Through the INDUX® System, Maple Leaf Farms offers seven pedigreed genetic lines of white Pekin ducks that thrive in a variety of growing environments throughout the world. The company can use these strains to help customers build an ideal commercial growing duck for their market. Customers in China are served by Maple Leaf Farms China Business Entities headed by General Manager Wes Rader. Sales to all other countries are led by Dan Harper.
“Maple Leaf Farms is a leader in the global duck industry,” said Harper. “With our 50 plus years of breeding and genetic improvement, our company offers a broad range of white Pekin genetics that can help our customers meet their production and economic goals. Our improved white Pekin duck fits a broader spectrum of customer needs.”
In addition to improved parent stock and superior meat duck performance, Maple Leaf Farms’ experience with vertical integration allows the company’s technical support specialists to provide INDUX® customers with field-tested expertise in the areas of nutrition, welfare, food safety and biosecurity. These professionals provide customized and timely support.
“There are few duck breeding stock suppliers in the world. In the current business environment, it only makes sense for producers to explore the options for a stable and affordable supply chain,” said Harper. “A verified source from the United States amidst the challenge of avian influenza and COVID-19 may provide a financial benefit, especially with higher feed cost trends and a favorable US dollar exchange rate for export business.”
The company is supporting the launch of the improved parent stock with a new website, duckbreedingstock.com. This site provides an overview of the INDUX® Integrated Duck Production System along with standard performance data on the pure lines of duck breeding stock and meat ducks for commercial duck production that it offers and highlights its global technical support staff.
“We are looking for partners that are interested in optimizing their business performance with the INDUX® System,” said Harper. “We offer a unique business model — one that is unlike others offered in the international duck breeding stock business—and our team is available at each step to make our customers’ duck business successful.”
About the INDUX® Integrated Duck Production System
The INDUX® Integrated Duck Production System is a globally available vertically integrated duck production system offering breeding stock sales, live production technical services, and business consulting services designed to optimize duck performance and reduce production costs. Areas of expertise range from animal health and welfare to food safety and processing. For more information, visit duckbreedingstock.com. Businesses in China should visit mlfduck.com
About Maple Leaf Farms, Inc.
Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. is North America’s leading producer of quality duck products. Founded in 1958, Maple Leaf Farms’ vertically integrated white Pekin duck business, from pure line genetics to premium products, has been family-owned for four generations. For more company information, visit mapleleaffarms.com.
