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| Domestic Muscovy duck | |
|---|---|
| |
| Black magpie drake | |
| Conservation status | |
| Domesticated | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Cairina |
| Species: | C. moschata |
| Subspecies: | C. m. domestica |
| Trinomial name | |
| Cairina moschata domestica (Donkin, 1989) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cairina moschata momelanotus | |
The Muscovy or Barbary (Cairina moschata domestica) is the domesticated form of the wild Muscovy duck. There are a number of local or regional breeds, and drakes of these are commonly cross-bred with domestic ducks to produce the hybrids called mulards.
History
The Muscovy had been domesticated by various indigenous peoples of the Americas well before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
Characteristics
Domestic Muscovy drakes weigh some 4.5–6.3 kg (10–14 lb). The duck is much smaller, typically about half the size of the drake, with a weight of 2.3–3.2 kg (5–7 lb).
Recognised colour varieties include five solid colours – black, blue, chocolate, lavender and white – and eight 'magpie' colours, in which the whole back from the tail to the shoulders and the underside from below the tail to the breast is coloured black, blue, chocolate or lavender, the remainder being white. In the standard magpie colourings the crown of the head is also coloured; in the white-headed magpie colours the head is white.
Use
The Muscovy can be crossed with mallard-derived domestic ducks to produce the hybrids known as 'mulards'. Muscovy drakes are commercially crossed with domestic duck birds, either naturally or by artificial insemination. The 40–60% of eggs that are fertile result in birds raised only for their meat or for production of foie gras: they grow fast like domestic ducks, but to a large size like Muscovy ducks. The inverse cross, domestic drake with Muscovy duck, is possible, but infrequent.
In Israel the ducks are reportedly cross-bred with mallards to produce kosher duck products. The kashrut status of the Muscovy duck has been a matter of rabbinic discussion for over 150 years. Some homeopathic remedies contain minute quantities of Muscovy Duck livers and hearts.
References
- ^ J. Ian H. Allonby, Philippe B. Wilson (editors) (2018). British Poultry Standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain, seventh edition. Chichester; Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Blackwell. ISBN 9781119509141.
- Dave Holderread (2001). Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. Pownal, Vermont: Storey Books. ISBN 9781580172585.
- ^ Zivotofsky, Rabbi Ari Z.; Amar, Zohar (2003). "The Halachic Tale of Three American Birds: Turkey, Prairie Chicken, and Muscovy Duck". Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society. 6: 81–104.
- Mathie, RT; Frye, J; Fisher, P (28 January 2015). "Homeopathic Oscillococcinum® for preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like illness". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1 (9): CD001957. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001957.pub6. PMC 6726585. PMID 25629583.
- van der Wouden, J.C.; Bueving, H.J.; Poole, P. (2005). "Preventing influenza: an overview of systematic reviews". Respiratory Medicine. 99 (11): 1341–1349. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2005.07.001. PMID 16112852.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Domesticated Muscovy duck | |