Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PT 2001001
PT 2001001
Technology
Crops
PT2001-1
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) Cooperating agency for this topic:
14 Wenchow St., Taipei, Taiwan ROC
This information was summarized by FFTC from a booklet
Tel.: (886 2) 2362 6239 Fax: (886 2) 2362 0478
“Aigamo Banzai” (in Japanese), written by Mr. Takao Furuno
E-mail: fftc@agnet.org Website: www.fftc.agnet.org
and published by Nosan-Gyoson Bunka Kyokai in 1995. For
FFTC: An international information center for further information in English: Takao Furuno, 1999 “The Power
small-scale farmers in Asia of Duck”, Tagari Publications, Web Site: www.tagari.com
synchronized, and because Aigamo ducks are most such enemies as dogs, cats, weasels and hawks.
active in catching insects at 3-5 weeks after Therefore, a protective fence is indispensable. This
hatching (Table 2). The optimum population of limits the activity of the Aigamo to inside the
Aigamo in the field is about 200-300 birds/ha. It fence. An electric fence was found to be the most
depends, however, on the level of available feed effective in Japan. In case you cannot buy this in
(weeds and insects). A lower population of your district, you may find some other low-cost
Aigamo than the optimum decreases the positive material for the fence.
effect of the birds, and a higher population both
spoils seedlings and delays the growth of Aigamo. Water management
Aigamo ducks are reported to be the most suitable
for this technology because of their small size While Aigamo are in the field, water should be kept
(adult: 1.6 kg) and their active movement. Other always at such a depth as to allow the birds both
indigenous small breeds of duck in Asia are also to swim and walk. In spots where the soil surface
available. is above the water surface, a weeding effect cannot
Aigamo ducks seldom feed on leaves of be expected. Water also protects birds from their
rice. However, they take ears. For this reason, the enemies.
ducks should be removed from the field after the Before introducing ducklings into the field,
rice plants reach the heading stage. The ducks it is recommended to train them to get into the
might be sold at this stage, or be kept in a pen for habit of flocking and also oiling their feathers, by
further growth. leaving them in water for one or two days. It is
Birds are left in the field even at night, also recommended to leave a plot of higher ground
because they are more active at night than in the where they can rest, adjust their body temperature
daytime. Hence, it is necessary to protect them from and oil their feathers.