Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck

Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck

Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck is a specialty of Xinluo District, Longyan City, Fujian Province. Also known as "Xinling Duck," it is an excellent egg-laying duck breed in Fujian, characterized by its small size, early maturity, high egg production, and strong adaptability.

　　Originally from areas around Huyi and Longmen in Longmen Town, Longyan City, and commonly called "Xinling Duck" by locals, Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck is an outstanding egg-laying duck breed in Fujian. It is known for its small size, early maturity, and high egg production (annual egg yield: 299.2 eggs; average egg weight: 66.6 grams; total annual egg weight: 19,920 grams) and strong adaptability (survival rate during the growing period: 98%). Its eggs are of moderate size, making them ideal for processing into preserved eggs. Xinluo District, Longyan City, is the origin and main production area of the Mountain Waxy Duck. The district houses over 2.3 million breeding ducks annually and produces and sells more than 20 million ducklings, which are popular in eight provinces and one municipality including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Anhui, and Yunnan, winning widespread affection among consumers.

　　The Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck has a breeding history of over 500 years. Legend has it that during the Ming Dynasty, the people of Longyan had already developed the habit of raising ducks. From these, they selectively bred egg-laying ducks suited to mountainous terrain. Through years of continuous cultivation, the fine genetic traits of the Waxy Duck have been preserved to this day. After the liberation, duck egg production techniques continued to advance, and the practice of raising Mountain Waxy Ducks spread to more regions, becoming another avenue for people to achieve prosperity.

　　The Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck is small in size, with a refined head, long and slender neck, flat and deep chest, and broad hindquarters. Female ducks typically weigh between two and a half to three catties, with plumage that is grey with black speckles, golden-yellow beaks, and orange-yellow webbed feet. They reach maturity in about 110 days, with some maturing as early as 85 days, and lay eggs with relatively hard shells. Male ducks generally weigh between two and two and a half catties, with shiny dark blue plumage tinged with brown, and can be used for breeding after about 120 days of rearing.

　　The Longyan Mountain Waxy Duck serves both as an egg-laying and meat-producing duck, commonly referred to by locals as “water duck.” When egg-laying female ducks are culled, duck farmers fatten them up. These ducks are usually raised for two to three years before being repurposed as meat ducks. When slaughtered, the Mountain Waxy Duck can be stewed with various Chinese herbal medicines to clear heat, detoxify, nourish yin, and reduce internal heat—making it especially suitable for children recovering from measles and patients with liver conditions. During the cold winter months, in preparation for New Year’s feasts and as an accompaniment to liquor, people slaughter the ducks around the Winter Solstice to make cured duck. Therefore, duck farming serves as an important source of meat and eggs. Duck down and fatty duck liver are also among the products exported in foreign trade.

　　To fully leverage the superior traits of the Mountain Waxy Duck and enhance its production performance, eight years and six generations of effort have resulted in the establishment of 23 pedigrees. Production indicators have now reached or exceeded breeding requirements. Provincial expert evaluations have confirmed that the breeding achievements have attained an advanced domestic level. The Mountain Waxy Duck Original Breed Farm currently houses over 3,000 sets of grandparent and great-grandparent generation breeding ducks, and can supply 200,000 to 300,000 sets of parent-generation breeding ducks annually, along with a large number of high-quality commercial ducklings.