Silver Appleyard Duck
Encyclopedia
The Silver Appleyard Duck is a breed
of domestic duck. Only 128 breeding Silver Appleyard Ducks were reported in a 2000 census
of domestic
waterfowl
in North America
. Of five people breeding this variety in North America, only one had a primary breeding flock
in excess of fifty individuals. It may be more common in the United Kingdom
.
This breed is sometimes called the Large Appleyard in contrast to the diminutive form
of this breed known as the Miniature Appleyard developed by Tom Bartlett of Folly Farm in the 1980s.
Drakes of this breed have a yellow or greenish-colored bill
which sometimes takes on a striated appearance when the duck is older. The drake has a chestnut red breast, flank, sides, and shoulders with white "frosting and lacing" and a "creamy or silvery white" underside. Drakes' wings are gray and white with a cross-stripe of bright blue. Their tail feather
s are a dark bronze color. Feet and legs are orange.
The Silver Appleyard Duck hen has a yellow or orange bill with a black "bean". Plumage is whitish with markings in various shades of brown and gray. Her legs are yellow or orange with dark toenails and she, like the drake, also has wings marked with a blue cross-stripe.
The British Waterfowl Standards book lists criteria for an ideal example of this breed including (but not limited to) criteria such as:
. As described in a farm
brochure
from the 1940s, Appleyard's ambition was to create a very attractive breed of large duck that would also be a prolific producer of large, white eggs.
The breed was introduced to the United States in the 1960s but did not become available to the public until 1984. In 1998, the American Poultry Association
held a qualifying meet to include the Silver Appleyard Duck in the American Standard of Perfection
. In 2000, the association officially recognized this breed.
s, and as "gourmet
roasting ducks
". They are also raised for their eggs as this breed is one of the best egg-layers among the larger ducks and produces, on average, roughly 250 white-shelled eggs yearly. Their meat is "lean and flavorful". This breed has a calm temperament and tends to stay close to home if well-fed.
According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
:
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of domestic duck. Only 128 breeding Silver Appleyard Ducks were reported in a 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of domestic
Domestication
Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. In the Convention on Biological Diversity a domesticated species is defined as a 'species in which the evolutionary process has been...
waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Of five people breeding this variety in North America, only one had a primary breeding flock
Flock (birds)
A flock is a group of birds conducting flocking behavior in flight, or while foraging. The term is akin to the herd amongst mammals. The benefits of aggregating in flocks are varied and flocks will form explicitly for specific purposes...
in excess of fifty individuals. It may be more common in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
This breed is sometimes called the Large Appleyard in contrast to the diminutive form
Bantam (chicken)
A bantam is a small variety of poultry, especially chickens. Etymologically, the name bantam is derived from the city of Bantam - currently known as "Banten Province" or previously "Banten Residency" - once a major seaport, in Indonesia...
of this breed known as the Miniature Appleyard developed by Tom Bartlett of Folly Farm in the 1980s.
Description
The Silver Appleyard Duck is a "large, sturdily built duck" with a "blocky" physique and a prominent breast. When full grown it weighs between six and eight pounds.Drakes of this breed have a yellow or greenish-colored bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
which sometimes takes on a striated appearance when the duck is older. The drake has a chestnut red breast, flank, sides, and shoulders with white "frosting and lacing" and a "creamy or silvery white" underside. Drakes' wings are gray and white with a cross-stripe of bright blue. Their tail feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s are a dark bronze color. Feet and legs are orange.
The Silver Appleyard Duck hen has a yellow or orange bill with a black "bean". Plumage is whitish with markings in various shades of brown and gray. Her legs are yellow or orange with dark toenails and she, like the drake, also has wings marked with a blue cross-stripe.
The British Waterfowl Standards book lists criteria for an ideal example of this breed including (but not limited to) criteria such as:
- A well-rounded head feathered in iridescent green over brown black
- A slightly erect, alert and busy carriage
- A rumpBird anatomyBird anatomy, or the physiological structure of birds' bodies, shows many unique adaptations, mostly aiding flight. Birds have a light skeletal system and light but powerful musculature which, along with circulatory and respiratory systems capable of very high metabolic rates and oxygen supply,...
which is brown black with a slight iridescence, laced with white - Legs that are set slightly back and well apart
- A medium length bill that is not wedge-shaped and that rises in a gentle curve to the brow
- Dark brown eyes
History
The Silver Appleyard is named after Reginald Appleyard, the breeder who developed it at his Priory Waterfowl Farm near Bury St Edmunds, EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As described in a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
brochure
Brochure
A brochure is a type of leaflet. Brochures are most commonly found at places that tourists frequently visit, such as museums, major shops, and tourist information. Brochure racks or stands may suggest visits to amusement parks and other points of interest...
from the 1940s, Appleyard's ambition was to create a very attractive breed of large duck that would also be a prolific producer of large, white eggs.
The breed was introduced to the United States in the 1960s but did not become available to the public until 1984. In 1998, the American Poultry Association
American Poultry Association
The American Poultry Association is the oldest poultry organization in the North America. Founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932 The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in response to the burgeoning need for an overseeing body to set standards...
held a qualifying meet to include the Silver Appleyard Duck in the American Standard of Perfection
American Standard of Perfection
The American Standard of Perfection is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the Standard of Perfection classifies and describes the standard physical appearance, coloring and temperament for all recognized...
. In 2000, the association officially recognized this breed.
Modern cultivation
Today Silver Appleyard Ducks are raised for exhibition, as petPet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
s, and as "gourmet
Gourmet
Gourmet is a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterised by elaborate preparations and presentations of large meals of small, often quite rich courses...
roasting ducks
Roasting
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization or Maillard browning of the surface of the food, which is considered by some as a flavor enhancement. Roasting uses more indirect, diffused heat , and is...
". They are also raised for their eggs as this breed is one of the best egg-layers among the larger ducks and produces, on average, roughly 250 white-shelled eggs yearly. Their meat is "lean and flavorful". This breed has a calm temperament and tends to stay close to home if well-fed.
According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting genetic diversity among rare breeds of livestock...
:
There is a critical need for more conservation breeders of Appleyards. Their excellent laying ability, meatPoultryPoultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
y carcassesBodyWith regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
, and lovely plumagePlumagePlumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
make them a great addition to any small farmstead or backyard producer's flock...When choosing Appleyards to breed, select robust, active, and strong-legged birds that have a record of good egg production. Many Appleyards are undersized, therefore select birds with big well muscleMuscleMuscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
d bodies while avoiding excessively large birds that will have trouble foragingForaging- Definitions and significance of foraging behavior :Foraging is the act of searching for and exploiting food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce...
, matingMatingIn biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
, and laying.