Progress report for FW22-391
Project Information
Pests like slugs, snails, insects, and even rodents are a big issue for orchard producers and require big costs to manage. Historically, many cultures have used ducks to reduce pests. However, this is not a commonly used practice in the United States. By using ducks against weeds, slugs, and snails, pests can be used as feed. This reduces chemical and labor costs while increasing profit with the sale of duck and eggs.
Our project combines three different breeds; Muscovy, Khaki Campbell, and Indian Runner. Areas of the orchard have been sectioned and include areas with ducks as biocontrol and control areas managed conventionally. Costs and returns will be measured for each treatment to evaluate economic and environmental sustainability. Sustainability is a must in these modern times with the immediate threat of climate change. This research will help farmers provide quality food to local communities while reducing fossil fuel use, labor and chemical costs, pollution of soil and water, and their impact on the environment.
This project is in cooperation with Oregon State University's Small Farms Program and includes technical advice and outreach capabilities. The proposed outreach plan includes an Extension article, two on-farm tours, and a presentation at a small farm workshop. Additionally, we plan to create video content and infographics to disseminate the information through multiple farmer networks and channels.
The objectives for this proposed study include:
- Examine the effectiveness of ducks as weed and pest control in an orchard crop system.
- Assess the economic and environmental sustainability of using ducks as biocontrol within an orchard crop system.
- Identify the number of ducks per acre that can control pests to the desired level while maintaining the lowest input cost.
Western SARE Farmer/Rancher Project Timeline
Project name: Effects of using ducks as biological control to manage weeds and pests within an orchard crop system
Farmer/Rancher Project #: FW22-391
PI: Peng Sun
2022
May
- Consultation completed for further developing study design with OSU Small Farms Program Faculty
- *** See Letter of Commitment from Dr. Garry Stephenson
- Began to build fences around the designated duck area
July
- 600 ducklings purchased from the hatchery, Metzer Farms (300 Muscovy, 175 Khaki Campbell, and 125 Runner)
- 64 Muscovy ducklings purchased from local farmers
- Completed the installation of a 4,120 feet fence and a 30'X96' shed
- Purchased feed, and water materials from Wilco farm store
- Created a 50'X200' pond for the ducks
August
- Released ducklings into the research area, and kept them in a shed overnight for safety against predators
- Observation: The ducklings prefer to eat pests and weeds in this order: slugs, bugs, weed seeds, then weeds
November
- Clipped duckling wings to prevent ducks from flying outside the research area
*= The original project proposal included data collection in August, October, and December of 2022, and in February 2023. After the project began and the P. I started to raise the ducklings, they weren't old enough to be eating enough weeds during the summer period and then in the fall it was outside the growing season for Oregon, so the weeds were minimal. Data collection will begin in April and will be consistent for the rest of the project timeline.
2023
February
- Reassessed fence, mobile shed, feed, and water materials
- Fix and replace as needed
- Observation: During the winter, ducks eat everything green on the field (not including the orchard or vineyard plants). We had to supply them with more grain due to a shortage of weeds. Compared to last winter before the study, almost no vole paths are visible at this time through grasses in the duck area. This may be due to the ducks eating the weeds and seeds, reducing food availability for voles.
March
- Put 40 days old ducklings into the research area
April
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
- Hayley White will create educational and promotional content (videos and an article)
June
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
August
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
October
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
December
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
2024
February
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
- Get ducklings from a hatchery or hatch ducklings
- Reassess fence, mobile shed, feed, and water materials
- Fix and replace as needed
March
- Put 40 days old ducklings into the research area
April
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
- Hayley White will create educational and promotional content (flyers, graphics, videos)
May
- Host two farm tours one open to all farmers and a second tailored to Asian American farmers
June
- Collect data for weeds/pest control
September
- Peng sun and Hayley White will present research findings and teach an educational session about the project at the regional Small Farms School held at Clackamas Community College.
- Once data has been analyzed, another article will be written and shared with OSU and Small Farm Networks.
Cooperators
- - Technical Advisor (Educator and Researcher)
- - Producer
Research
1. Examine the effectiveness of ducks as weed and pest control in an orchard crop system.
For this objective, we divided the orchard into two sections across the landscape and included a control area (no ducks), and an area with ducks. Every other month data will be collected to count the number of pests. Within each section, we will randomly toss 5, 1 square foot sampling squares out and collect data on numbers of slugs and snails, recent rodent holes, and evaluate weed conditions. These measurements will be taken every other month for the duration of the study.
Materials:
- Ducklings
- Fencing for containing ducks in desired areas
- 1 square foot sampling frame for counting pests and weeds
- Supplemental feed for ducks
- Portable feeders and water vessels
- Microsoft Excel to record and analyze data
2. Assess the economic and environmental sustainability of using ducks as biocontrol within an orchard crop system.
To assess the economic variables we have a 4-acre block without any ducks and treat it how it has been conventionally managed. This includes regular mowing, pest baits, herbicides, and the cost of labor calculated for the 4 acres. We are calculating the costs of using ducks on 4 acres of the orchard. This includes fencing, feed, labor, ducklings, and any other costs that arise within the non-control area. We will evaluate if any damage is done to the orchard crops by the ducks, so far we haven't seen any. The income brought in from the sale of duck and duck eggs will be deducted from the total.
Materials:
- Herbicide
- Pesticide
- Diesel for the mower
3. Identify the number of ducks per acre that can control pests to the desired level while keeping the animals healthy and maintaining the lowest input cost.
We would like to determine a balanced stocking rate of ducks per acre. Our goal is maximum weed and pest control with minimum grain input and maintaining animal health and adequate growth. This might need to be adjusted a few times before we find the right number and this could be changed depending on the season. We will try 30, 50, and 100 ducks per acre at first and compare weed and pest control and grain input from each group for each duck per day.
Research Outcomes
Recommendations based on our observations thus far:
1: Muscovy ducklings are very fragile during shipping. 102 of 300 ducklings died in transport from the California hatchery company to Oregon. Additional ducklings were purchased from local farms, of those ducklings, 62 of 64 have survived and are growing well. Farmers may be more successful if purchasing from a local farm with less transport distance compared to a commercial hatchery.
2: Provide plenty of water (more than you think): Ducks require access to water for drinking and bathing. Consider providing a small pond or water trough within their contained area.
3: Feed the ducks appropriately: Ducks require a balanced diet to remain healthy. Provide them with appropriate feed and consider supplementing their diet with low-grade fruits or vegetables from your orchard. If ducks do not get enough nutrition, their legs and feet can become weak or twisted, leading to limping and other development issues.
4: Compared to breeds developed for egg production, Muscovy ducks can fly, it is better to cut some feathers short to control them on the field.
5: Ducks are natural predators of voles and can help reduce their populations by consuming them as shown through observations in this study so far. In addition, ducks might also help control the insects and other invertebrates that voles feed on, which can further limit their population growth. Ducks may help control voles by consuming vegetation, limiting the food supply and shelter for voles.
6: Ducks are controlling weeds so far without damage to the fruit trees or drip tubes. From observations outside the duck research area, geese eat a little bit of the young apple tree bark and sheep have caused minor damage to the lower branches of fruit trees.
Education and Outreach
Participation Summary:
On March 9th, 2023, Hayley White posted a picture to the OSU Mid-Willamette Valley Small Farms Facebook and Instagram pages and introduced the project briefly.
- According to Facebook analytics, the photo reached 812 people and it was shared by the Capital Ag Press, a regional agricultural news outlet
- According to Instagram analytics, the post reached 464 accounts (including 4 comments and 4 shares)
A link to view the Facebook page is located here.
No other outreach publications or activities have been produced thus far.
Education and Outreach Outcomes
On March 9th, 2023, Hayley White posted a picture to the OSU Mid-Willamette Valley Small Farms Facebook and Instagram pages and introduced the project briefly.
- According to Facebook analytics, the photo reached 812 people and it was shared by the Capital Ag Press, a regional agricultural news outlet
- According to Instagram analytics, the post reached 464 accounts (including 4 comments and 4 shares)
A link to view the Facebook page is located here.
No other outreach publications or activities have been produced thus far.