Recently, the outstanding local variety resource of laying duck , namely Mata Lake Duck, discovered by prof. Wang Baowei, who works with Qingdao Agricultural University(QAU) and is also a scientist of National Waterfowl Industry Technology System, has passed the national breed certification organized by the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Committee and been listed in the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Register. This is the only local livestock and poultry breed of Shandong province listed in the national register in recent years. So far, there are all together 159 outstanding local livestock and poultry which are confirmed as breeds of genetic resources protection at national level.

Mata Lake Duck, being native to Qifeng town of Huantai county, Zibo city, Shandong province, is commonly known as lake duck or shelduck and this has been recorded as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period. The egg yield of a mature mother duck is over 280, with green-shell egg up to 98%. The eggs are good in quality and unique in color, aroma and taste. After being pickled and steamed, the eggs are perfect in flavor with the egg yolk oil being fragrant and not greasy, and local people call them spun gold duck egg. Mata Lake Duck is an excellent local laying duck breed resource of North China. Its discovery greatly vitalizes the development of the laying duck industry of our country and leads local farmers to get rich.

Translated by Ding Shuting

Mata Lake Duck，Huantai,Zibo, Shandong, China (Internet Photo)