Liangping Meat Duck

Liangping Meat Duck

Liangping Meat Duck is a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Liangping Meat Duck

　　Geographical Scope

　　Liangping County is situated in the eastern part of Chongqing’s main urban area, bordering Wanzhou District to the east, Zhongxian and Dianjiang to the south, Dazhu County of Sichuan to the west, and Daxian and Kaijiang of Sichuan to the north. It lies between 107°24′–108°05′ east longitude and 30°25′–30°53′ north latitude, stretching 52.1 kilometers from east to west and 60.35 kilometers from north to south. The county administers 33 towns and townships, 315 villages, covering a total area of 1,980 square kilometers. The elevation within the county varies by 1,000 meters, with the highest point at 1,221 meters and the lowest at 280 meters. The core area for implementation of the geographical indication registration mainly covers all 315 administrative villages across the county’s 33 towns and townships. The production scale is 2 million ducks, with an annual output of 1,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Due to geological structure, stratum distribution, lithology, and the influence of hydrological factors, Liangping features a natural landscape characterized by “three mountains, five ridges, two valleys, one plain, undulating hills, and six rivers flowing outward,” forming a unique topography where mountains, hills, and plains coexist, but with mountains predominating. The region includes the Eastern Mountain, Western Mountain, and Central Mountain, all running northeastward in parallel without connecting to each other. The hilly areas have red-brown purple soil, the plains have paddy soil, and the low mountainous areas have mountain yellow soil. The soil pH ranges from 6.0 to 7.5, with rich content of N, P, and K, indicating medium to high fertility.

　　(2) Hydrology: Liangping is located on the watershed between the main stream of the Yangtze River and the Qijiang, a tributary of the Jialing River. The terrain is higher than the surrounding areas, making it the source of streams for neighboring counties, with very little incoming water passing through the county. The main rivers in the county include the Gaotan River, Boxuan River, Xinsheng River, Puli River, Ruxi River, and Huangjin River—six in total—with 384 tributaries, spanning a total length of 809 kilometers. The entire river basin features clear water quality with no major pollution sources.

　　(3) Climate: Liangping falls within the warm and humid subtropical climate zone of the eastern Sichuan Basin. It has a distinct monsoon climate with four clearly defined seasons, warm temperatures, abundant rainfall, and relatively low sunshine. Its main characteristics are: unstable spring temperatures, frequent overcast and rainy weather in early summer, hot and drought-prone midsummer, frequent prolonged rains in autumn, mild winters, a long frost-free period, high humidity, and frequent cloudiness and fog. The annual average temperature is 16.6°C, the mean relative humidity is 83%, and the annual average sunshine duration is 1,336 hours.

　　(4) Humanistic History: Liangping has a long-standing tradition of raising waterfowl. Before 1990, the county mainly raised egg-laying ducks for feed, maintaining an annual population of around 1.5 million. In 1992, Liangping was designated as a waterfowl base county of Sichuan Province, leading to rapid development in waterfowl farming. By 1995, the waterfowl population reached 5 million. The local government has consistently prioritized waterfowl as a foundational sector in livestock development, including it in the county’s “Ninth Five-Year,” “Tenth Five-Year,” and “Eleventh Five-Year” plans. In 2005, the Chongqing Development and Reform Commission allocated 1 million yuan from municipal funds to establish a meat duck breeding system, bringing the waterfowl population to its historical peak. In 2006, 10 million waterfowl were marketed, including 8.12 million meat ducks.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Production Area Selection: Liangping enjoys a mild climate with extensive areas of winter paddy fields, rivers, and reservoirs, and no pollution sources. Therefore, Liangping Meat Ducks are raised across all 315 administrative villages in the county’s 33 towns and townships. The environmental quality of the production sites must comply with the “Evaluation Criteria for Non-Polluted Food Production Areas” (NY/T5295).

　　(2) Breed Selection: Liangping Meat Ducks are a hybrid of Beijing Meat Ducks and Sichuan Shelducks. They feature distinct black-and-white feathers, commonly referred to as “patterned ducks.” These ducks have a large, rectangular body shape. Male ducks have large heads, round eyes, medium-length and wide orange-yellow beaks, thick and relatively short necks, full chests, deep and broad abdomens, high-raised front chests, slightly tilted hind abdomens forming about a 30-degree angle with the ground, small wings, short and upturned tails, short and sturdy legs, and orange-red shanks and webbed feet. Female ducks have full abdomens, short and thick legs, thick and solid webbed feet, and full feathering. Patterned ducks are gentle in temperament and can reach a live weight of about 3.0 kilograms at 50 days under normal breeding conditions.

　　(3) Production Process Management: The production process of Liangping Meat Ducks must strictly follow the “Liangping County Non-Polluted Meat Duck Breeding Operation Procedures.” The use of feed and veterinary drugs during production must comply with the “Criteria for the Use of Feed and Feed Additives in Non-Polluted Food Livestock and Poultry” (NY5032-2006) and the “Criteria for the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Non-Polluted Food Livestock and Poultry Breeding” (NY5030-2006). To ensure the quality characteristics of Liangping Meat Ducks,

　　particular attention should be paid to the following aspects:

　　① Brooding Stage Breeding and Management: First, ensure proper disinfection and pre-warming of the poultry house. Second, focus on the drinking and initial feeding of ducklings. Third, manage the brooding temperature, humidity, lighting, ventilation, and stocking density.

　　② Growing Duck Stage Breeding and Management: First, implement reasonable grouping. Second, switch to growing duck feed. Third, focus on intensive fattening.

　　③ Disease Prevention: Strictly follow the growth patterns of meat ducks and carry out all necessary preventive vaccinations. Promptly isolate and treat any sick ducks identified. The use of disease-prevention drugs must comply with NY5030-2006 standards, with all veterinary drugs used under the guidance of a veterinarian and in strict adherence to withdrawal periods.

　　(4) Product Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling: Meat ducks can be harvested when they reach approximately 3.0 kilograms in weight.

　　(5) Production Record Requirements: Each batch of meat ducks raised and harvested at the duck farm must have complete records. The records should include the breed of meat duck, date and quantity of duckling introduction, feed source, feeding amounts, poultry house temperature, stocking density, immunization, sanitation and disinfection, disease occurrence, and veterinary drug use. Record archives must be retained for two years.

　　Typical Quality Characteristics and Product Quality Safety Regulations

　　(1) Harvested meat ducks should have full abdomens, solid and thick webbed feet, smooth feathers, and no diseases. The processed marinated and roasted ducks should feature tender meat, fragrant taste without greasiness, and appealing color.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: Timely-harvested meat ducks have high protein content and low fat. The processed marinated and roasted ducks are high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol, and rich in essential amino acids, fatty acids, and mineral elements for humans. Combining nutrition, health benefits, and wellness, they are high-quality meat products.

　　(3) Safety Requirements: Liangping Meat Ducks comply with the “Technical Specifications for the Breeding and Management of Non-Polluted Food Meat Ducks” (NY/T5264-2004) standard.

　　Packaging, Labeling, and Related Regulations

　　Processed marinated and roasted ducks are packed two per box, with the agricultural geographical indication label affixed to the box. Storage temperature should be kept below 5°C. Transportation must be fast, well-ventilated, protected from sunlight, rain, moisture, pests, and rodents. Handle with care during loading and unloading.

　　The processed marinated and roasted duck comes in boxes of two, with the agricultural product geographical indication label affixed to the box. During storage, the temperature should be kept below 5°C. Transportation requires speed, good ventilation, and strict protection from sunlight, rain, moisture, pests, and rodents. Handle with care during loading and unloading.