The Alabio duck: a unique Indonesian duck breed

 |  2 min read

The Alabio duck is an unusual dual-purpose breed, highly popular in Indonesia, but unheard of elsewhere. A veterinarian named Saleh Puspo named the breed. They originate from Kabupaten Hulu Sungai Utara, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia. Locally, in Indonesia, they are called the Itik Alabio. They were developed as a cross between the local Indonesian duck and the Pekin duck.

alabio duck infographic

In Indonesia, Alabio ducks are quite popular. In 2006, 3,400,000 Alabio ducks were found in South Kalimantan. Elsewhere, virtually no one has them.

They weigh 3.3 to 4.4 lb (1.5-2 kg), with drakes weighing slightly more than ducks.

Alabio ducks are very good egg layers, laying 200-250 eggs a year (or even more), and they’re also frequently used for meat.

They’re good broodies, they can fly well, and they’re very heat-tolerant, as can be expected, coming from an area with a warm climate. They’re long-lived, with a lifespan of 8-12 years.

They have an upright stance, similar to the Runner duck. Their bills are yellow. Darker bills, either brown or black, means they are a hybrid cross, of Alabio with Mojosari, another duck breed from Java. It’s hard to find the pure breed now, due to uncontrolled crossbreeding by local farmers to achieve higher production.

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Here’s a pet Alabio duck (although it’s one of the black-billed individuals that may be hybrid):

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