Examples of feedstuffs that can be used in duck rations are given in Tables 2a and 2b. Some feed ingredients contain substances that are toxic to ducks, and should not be included in duck rations. Groundnut meal should not be used unless tests have proven it to be free of aflatoxin. Rapeseed meal is another feedstuff that is potentially toxic to ducks. Some older varieties of rapeseed meal contain erucic acid and goitrogens at levels high enough to be harmful to poultry.
Ducks are much more sensitive to erucic acid than are chickens and turkeys.
However even Canola meals should first be tested in ducks before their use in duck feeds on a large scale. One of the most common causes of poor feed quality is failure to dry grains and other feedstuffs properly before storage. If grains that are too high in moisture are stored, without turning or aeration, the grain will heat up and mold and some of its nutritive value will be destroyed. As explained elsewhere, some molds may produce toxins that are particularly harmful to ducks. Make sure that the grains and other foodstuffs used in duck feeds were properly dried and are free of molds and other contamination.