A doctoral dissertation at the College of Agriculture, University of Basra, investigated "The Effect of Replacing Soybean Meal with Azolla Enriched with a Synergistic Mixture on the Productive and Quality Characteristics of Local Duck Carcasses."

The dissertation, presented by researcher Jalila Hatem Khalaf, aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing soybean meal in local duck diets with fermented Azolla enriched with a synergistic mixture (probiotics + beta-glucan), and its implications for productive performance, meat chemical characteristics, certain biochemical and microbial indicators, as well as the quality of frozen meat.

The thesis included a two-stage study. The first stage involved cultivating Azolla and then fermenting it with a synergistic mixture. In the second stage, 240 one-day-old unsexed local ducklings were randomly distributed into eight treatments. The experiment lasted 84 days. The treatments included a control diet, a diet supplemented with the synergistic mixture, and a substitution of fermented or unfermented Azolla for soybean meal at rates of 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively.

The study concluded that substituting fermented Azolla with the synergistic mixture represents a promising nutritional alternative to soybean meal in local duck diets. It contributed to improved productivity, health, and meat quality, as well as enhancing natural immunity and reducing oxidation during freezing.

Media and Government Communication Division / College of Agriculture