Longsheng Cui Duck

Longsheng Cui Duck

The Longsheng Cui Duck is a product with a geographical indication.

　　The Longsheng Cui Duck gets its name from its black feathers tinged with dark green, giving them an emerald-like sheen. It is mainly raised in areas inhabited by the Miao ethnic group and is locally referred to as "Yangdong Duck," meaning the duck raised by the Miao people. It is primarily distributed in Mati and Weijiang townships of Longsheng County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with a population of about 5,000 to 6,000. According to the *Longsheng County Annals*, the "Yangdong Duck" has black feathers with emerald hues and lays blue-shelled eggs. It is sociable and suitable for free-range farming in water bodies and rice paddies. The Longsheng Cui Duck has a unique physique and appearance, offering high ornamental value. Its meat is tender and free of fishy odors, making it a rare genetic resource among duck breeds.

　　According to the *Longsheng County Annals* (1990), a long time ago, the slightly longer-bodied "Yangdong Duck" (which means Miao duck in the Dong language—that is, the duck raised by the Miao people) was raised in the Miao-inhabited areas of Mati. The "Yangdong Duck" was characterized by its black feathers and black feet, and it laid blue-shelled eggs. This trait was related to the Miao people's reverence for the color black—Miao individuals often wear black clothing, black headscarves, and eat black glutinous rice. They also preferred raising black ducks and believed that blue-shelled eggs had cooling and nourishing properties. Through long-term selection, the "Yangdong Duck" with black feathers and blue-shelled eggs was developed. Its all-black feathers with dark green highlights and emerald-like metallic luster led to it being called the "Cui Duck." The Yangdong Duck is a traditionally bred duck breed among the Miao people. In addition to being used as a delicacy during festivals and for entertaining honored guests, the Yangdong Duck is also a premium item used in Miao customs and rituals. Among the Miao, there have been long-standing traditions such as the "Gate Smile" ceremony, competing for the "Duck for Bed-Making," and using ducks in sacrificial rites to the field deity to pray for a bountiful harvest. The Longsheng Cui Duck was formed through the Miao people’s self-breeding, long-term selective breeding, and under conditions of relative isolation, traditional Miao customs, and their cultural preference for the color black.

　　Longsheng Cui Duck

　　Geographic Scope

　　The production area covers 10 townships and 119 villages within Longsheng County, including Mati, Weijiang, Longsheng, Heping, Sishui, Jiangdi, Pingdeng, Lejiang, Piaoli, and Sanmen towns. The geographical coordinates are: 109°43′28″ to 110°21′41″ east longitude and 25°29′21″ to 26°12′10″ north latitude. The protected area spans 2,370.8 square kilometers, with an annual production of over 500,000 ducks.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External sensory characteristics: The Longsheng Cui Duck features black feathers, black shanks, and lays blue-shelled eggs. It has a slightly elongated, medium-sized body. Its beak is gray-black or bluish, and its feathers are shiny jet-black with a metallic luster; the mirror feathers are dark green. Adult drakes have peacock-green head and neck feathers, with sickle-shaped feathers in bluish-black that curve toward the back. When slaughtered at 70–90 days of age, the skin is white, the meat is red, the muscle sections have a glossy appearance, and the color and aroma are typical of duck meat without any off-odors. The skin is thin, and there is little fat. (2) Internal quality indicators: Sampling at 70–90 days of age shows that the main nutritional component, total fat content in the breast muscle of fresh Longsheng Cui Ducks, is significantly lower than that of other breeds. Main nutritional components: protein 19%–22%; total fat 0.5%–1%; dry matter 23%–25%. (3) Safety requirements: Strictly comply with the pollution-free meat duck standards: *Pollution-Free Food Poultry Meat and By-products* (NY5034-2005), *Pollution-Free Food Veterinary Drug Use Guidelines for Livestock and Poultry* (NY5030-2006), *Pollution-Free Food Veterinary Epidemic Prevention Guidelines for Meat Duck Breeding* (NY5263-2004), and *Pollution-Free Food Poultry Farming Production Management Standards* (NY/T5038-2006).