UB Lecturers Collaborate to Increase Duck Egg Production in Blitar

Lecturers of Universitas Brawijaya (UB) who are members of the Lecturer in Service (DM) team carry out community service activities in Kedawung Village, Nglegok District, Blitar Regency. The group is chaired by Dr. Imam Hanafi, MS, M.Sc. M.Si (Faculty of Administrative Sciences) and supported by Dr. Ac Prize Rachmawati, S.Pt, M.Si (Faculty of Animal Science), Dr. Putu Hadi Setyarini, ST, MT (Faculty of Engineering) and Mas Ayu Ambayoen, SP, M.Si (Faculty of Agriculture).

They focus on improving the appearance of duck production through improved feed, regulation of reproduction through superior breeds, and human resource management. Because duck farming businesses in Nglegok District are generally of medium-scale and become a reference for purchasing raw duck eggs from other regions. Although raising ducks is a side job that has been done for generations, besides the main job as a farmer.

However, breeders experience problems with the quality of duck eggs that are not as expected. Like thin, imperfectly shaped, cracked eggshells that account for 15% of the daily yield. The decline in egg quality has an impact on the selling price in the market which directly affects the livestock business.

Responding to this, the DM team provided a solution by improving the feed formulation for laying ducks through the addition of probiotics, enzymes, and calcium phosphate. Improvements in the feed had a significant impact on improving the quality of duck eggs, marked by a decrease in the number of eggs with thin shells and not perfectly shaped to 10%.

Besides that, they also use superior Mojosari-Albino (MA) seeds, which are expected to support the improvement of the quality and quantity of duck eggs. Then training was held to improve the ability of duck livestock entrepreneurs and human resource management in field implementation. Because the marketing of duck eggs has not been well organized through livestock groups and village-owned enterprises.

According to one of the team members, Dr. Ac Prize, important factors in duck farming include maintenance management, especially feed and reproduction. So it is hoped that this service activity, can support the availability of feed both in quantity and quality, improve the quality of eggs and brooders by implementing the development of reproductive management arrangements. As well as increasing the skills and income of farmers. (dta)