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©2012 • Culver Duck Farm
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Originating on Long Island, and bringing the first Long Island (aka Pekin)
to New York City kitchens, Culver Duck is truly an expert in the
breeding, care, processing, preparation and serving of perfect
Long Island, Pekin Duck. Here, we have put together a small
sampling of the thousands of questions we've been asked
over the years If you have questions not answered here, please
email us by clicking here. We'll do our best to answer promptly!
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| 3rd Party Verification | | | | | | | Health and Nutrition | | | | | | | | | Preparation Questions | | | | | | | | | | The 4 W's: Who, Why, When, and Where | | | | | | | | | General Questions | | | | | | | Terminology | | | | | | | | Animal Husbandry | | | | | | | Environmental | | | | | | | Fact or Fiction? | | | | | | Duck Trivia | | | |
3rd Party Verification |  | | What is 3rd Party Verification and Who Do You Use? | 
1006KB | Culver Duck Farms, Inc.
Standard Operating Procedures for "Natural" Product
History of "Natural" Duck Product:
Culver Duck has always sought to provide a quality product for our customers. Part of this vision includes the flexibility to understand the needs of the customer and to give our best effort to fulfill those needs. In recent years, there has been much discussions on the topics of bill trimming, antibiotic usage, artificial mesh flooring, and use of animal by-products. In response to these concerns, Culver Duck is raising a "Natural Duck". These ducks will not have their bills trimmed, will not be raised on any farm where 100% mesh flooring will be used on the birds, will not be fed any form of animal by-products, and will not receive any antibiotics.
Basic Standards for "Natural Ducks":
1) Ducks will not have bills trimmed.
2) Ducks will be raised on floors that are no more than 30% mesh flooring.
3) Animal by-products will not be used in the feed for the ducks.
4) Ducks will not receive antibiotics in feed or water.
Handling Procedures:
1) Hatchery - Ducks will not be bill trimmed. They will be kept separate after hatching from other ducklings during their entire stay in the hatchery. Appropriate records will be completed that identifies the flock and follows it through its entire life cycle. This information will then be kept at the farm, at hatchery, and in the main office. This information includes type of flock (such as sex, number of birds placed, strain of ducks), age, farm where grown, and health (including daily mortality).
2) Grow Out - Ducks are kept separate at farm and are monitored regularly.
3) Processing - At the time of processing, ducks continue to be kept separate from other flocks when shipping them to the plant. In the plant the flock is identified and processed separately from other flocks. Ducks are then packaged in bags that identify them as "Natural Ducks".
4) If the purity of the flock is compromised at any time and the origin of the flock can not be validated, then the flock will be removed from the natural program.
Procedures to Ensure Quality Standards:
1) Ducks will not have bills trimmed:
Background of Bill Trimming in Ducks:
Bill trimming is a normal operating procedure for baby ducks before they are delivered to farms where they are raised. Bill treatment is carried out because more suffering would be caused in the flock if it were not done. Ducks, like other birds, establish pecking order. More aggressive birds will move through the flock and pull feathers from the other birds, causing injury and stress. Trimming of beaks help prevent stress, injuries, and possible death. It should be done by a skilled operator on the day ducks are hatched.
When trimming, the operator carefully removes the egg tooth. Both trimmed and not trimmed ducklings quickly adapt to their feed and water and don't show signs of altered behavior. Because these "natural ducks" do not have their bills trimmed, additional observation and care will be provided to help limit the negative effects of feather pulling.
A. Ducks will not have bills trimmed.
B. Not trimmed ducks will be kept separate at the hatchery. These ducks will not be mixed with flocks that are not trimmed.
C. These selected flocks will be sent to individual locations where they are kept separate. Some farms will be designated as natural farms.
D. If "pecking" becomes a problem in flocks not trimmed, birds will be provided with additional vitamins and minerals to help combat natural tendencies to "peck" and the subsequent damage.
E. If these procedures and/or purity of flock have been violated or found to be lacking, the designated flock will be dropped from the "natural" program.
2) Ducks will be raised on floors that are no more than 30% plastic flooring.
Background of Raising Ducks in a Modern House:
Ducks are now raised in a protected and environmentally controlled facility. The ducks live on a combination of mesh flooring and a bedding material that would consist of sawdust, straw, or other absorbent products. Raising ducks on water was largely discontinued in the 1970's due to environmental, conservation, and health concerns.
Unless large quantities are used, pools of water can be an excellent source for bacterial contamination and disease. Ducks raised on water have higher bacterial counts when processed. Today, ducks receive their water through nipples in a closed water system and they enjoy cleaning themselves with the clean shavings. Mesh flooring is used to separate the ducks from their manure and thus provide them with a dry, clean environment in which to live. However, to address concerns about mesh flooring, we will only raise the "Natural Duck" in barns that are less then 30% mesh flooring.
A. Not Trimmed ducks will be raised on farms that have bedding materials that consist of sawdust, straw, etc.
B. All farms with less than 70% bedding material will be excluded from the programs. A list of these farms is on file at our company and is available upon request.
3) Animal by-products will not be used in the feed of "Natural Ducks"
Background of Animal By Products Use:
The use of animal by products in the feed has been beneficial in the past to be a source of protein, energy, minerals, and amino acids. It provides nutrients that more closely mimics the animal growth needs when compared to plant sources. This ingredient is also considered a preventive for feather pulling. "Natural Ducks" will be provided a complete, balanced feed derived from plant sources that will not contain any animal by products.
A. Ducks will receive feed that contains grains, minerals, amino acids and vitamins.
B. We have a designated mill to produce our natural feed. There will be no animal by-products in the feed or on the premises of the feed mill. The name and location of this mill is kept on file. The feed will always be kept in designated bins at the feed mill.
C. No medication or growth promoting hormones will be added to the feed.
D. If a previous load of feed had mediation, then the truck compartment and the ingredient mixer will be flushed with corn or soybean meal. The ingredients used to flush contaminated compartments will then not be used for the production of duck feed.
E. The duck feed will be hauled in the morning before any other feed.
F. The feed mill samples and tracks each load of feed that is produced.
G. Feed samples will be tested periodically for contamination by antibiotics. Any awareness of the duck feed being "contaminated" by these undesired products and being used on a natural flock will result in the flock being removed from the "natural" program.
4) Ducks will not receive antibiotics in feed or water.
Background of Antibiotic Use for Ducks:
Often antibiotics are used in animal agriculture as a preventative and a growth stimulant. Contrary to these practices, Culver Duck only uses antibiotics on flocks that are having health problems. We have never used growth hormones. Any flock that does receive medication in the feed or the water will be excluded from the "natural" program.
A. Natural flocks will not receive growth hormones or antibiotics.
B. Antibiotics are only issued with authorization from Culver Duck. Culver Duck handles all distribution and records when antibiotics are used.
C. If flocks require antibiotic treatment for health issues, the flock will be removed from the "natural" program.
Compliance/Audit Procedures:
Hatchery:
1. Preparation of ducks is monitored by management.
2. Flock information is recorded and kept in hatchery and office.
3. Extra flocks are placed in the natural program beyond our sales need. This is to insure that flocks can be removed from the program and our customer needs will continue to be met.
Grow Out:
1. Ducks are monitored each day by caretakers of the flocks.
2. A Culver Duck representative visits the farm on weekly basis.
3. Daily activity is recorded on each flock.
Feed:
1. The mill keeps a sample of each feed that is delivered.
2. Culver Duck will monitor feed for contamination of antibiotics and animal products.
Plant:
1. Ducks are checked before processing. These ducks will be checked for the lack of bill trimming.
2. Flock is followed through the plant by supervisor to ensure that they are kept separate and packaged correctly.
Overall:
1. A neutral third party will audit the natural duck system once every quarter. Currently, that party is a representative from Michigan State University.
2. Customers of Culver Duck are invited to visit and review the program.
3. Records from each of these areas are kept on file in the central office and are available for review.
| | Does Culver Duck sell to Whole Foods? | | | Culver Duck is Whole Foods approved and sells to Whole Foods under the Bell and Evans label. | Health and Nutrition | | | What is the nutritional value of duck? | | | A natural source of protein, did you know that duck is also a great source of iron and selenium; and, a skinless duck breast is 40% lower in fat than its chicken counterpart. | | Are Culver Ducks USDA Inspected? | | Yes; the processing can not operate without USDA on-site, in the plant. The Government inspector observes and inspects every duck. To be USDA inspected, we have a USDA Grader. Also; there is a USDA Grader that inspects all Culver ducks prior to packing to ensure the USDA requirements are met for the Grade A & Grade B specifications.
| | Are Culver Ducks All-Natural? | | Yes, and sorta yes. There are different types of all-natural. U.S.D.A. all-natural is the easiest of all natural approvals to achieve. Basically to take the birds off medication 5 days before processing and declare them to be ANTIOBIOTIC FREE meets the U.S.D.A.'s criteria for all-natural.
All-natural for Specialty companies such as WHOLE FOODS, for example, requires extensive documentation and audits. Culver Duck is the only Duck processor approved to sell to Whole Foods.
Instead of reading 'Antibiotic Free" on this Culver product, you will read "FED NO ANTIBIOTICS" Which means exactly that. This duck has never been fed/given antibiotics...not once during the entire process.
Oh, another part of All-natural might be a company that claims its duck has had NO HORMONES. But, this is simply a marketing ploy to sell ducks. It is against the law to use hormones. Therefore, no poultry is fed/given hormones.
Culver Duck also uses Michigan State University Veterinarian School to conduct 3rd party audits, as well as Steritec, which is required by Whole Foods. We believe two top-rated 3rd-party audits give us the ability to back up our marketing.
| | So duck is a good source of Niacin. Why is Niacin Important? | | | Niacin (Vitamin B-4) is used with diet changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood. Niacin is also used to prevent and treat pellagra (niacin deficiency), a disease caused by inadequate diet and other medical problems. Niacin is a B-complex vitamin. | Preparation Questions | | | I need to know how to cook Duck... | | We're often asked, "How do I cook duck?" Duck can be cooked in the oven, on the grill, on a George Foreman, and even on the stove. The preparation isn't long and drawn out like chefs used to think. And, if you think duck is greasy, you'll find that to be out-dated information as well. Culver Duck has spent years formulating feed and growing conditions to create a leaner breed of Pekin Duck. While there is still a small layer of fat, proper cooking gurarantees a delicious, tender and moist, duck that is anything but greasy. In fact, if you remove the skin, duck breast has half the fat of skinless chicken breast.
Oh, if you are looking for ways to cook duck, check out our Preparation Page. We have step by step instructions on cooking duck of all kinds. | | Is there a difference between BBQ vs Grilling? | | BBQ:
1) Meat that has been barbecued or grilled in a highly seasoned sauce.
2) A cookout in which food is cooked over an open fire; especially a whole animal carcass roasted on a spit.
3) A rack to hold meat for cooking over hot charcoal (usually out of doors).
GRILLING:
1) Cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat; as over a fire or under a grill. Broiling food with direct heat. | | Duck Tartar? | | | Yes, we have heard of duck tartar being served in New York City. | | Isn't duck greasy? | | Well, maybe a little. . . But, no more than chicken, beef or pork. Duck got a bad rap back when someone's Grandma cooked the bird in a pan without a rack and let the drippings leak on to the floor. Then, we surmise, their favorite relative happened to walk across the area...slipped and the rest is history.
Seriously, Culver Duck has had some challenges over the generations that required more marketing dollars than we or even the duck industry as a whole had to battle this serious misconception. But, we have increased the meat yield of our duck 50% in the last 10 years; and, we think that's something to quack about.
THINK: Quack on a Rack. At 350 degrees. For a couple of hours. This is a general rule of thumb for us when we roast duck. Reach a temperature of 165F degrees internal. See a clear liquid come from the leg when you pierce it. Tap or poke the skin to feel that it is crisp. This is basically how we cook chicken as well.
Incidently, the grease or drippings (or basting) that is collected from the duck is never thrown away by chefs or serious cooks. They use all of it for sauces, or as a favorite oil to cook anything from potatoes to popcorn.
Duck grease also has great nutritional facts as far as percentage of Poly, Mono, Trans & Saturated fats and we gladly challenge all competing protein industries to tell a better factual story. | | How should I cook Culver Duck marinated duck breasts? | | Actually, firing up the grill is the recommended way to heat & eat this duck. The grill adds a charred carmelization and makes the skin crisp. In our minds, it's a "no brainer".
You can also cook duck breasts inside over the stove: Put fat side down until rendered. Drain. Turn and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Meat should be pink.
| The 4 W's: Who, Why, When, and Where | | | Who is Duckling's best retail customer? | | Research has pinpointed the ultimate customer as a lady, 47 years of age with a household income of $50,000. We would expand that to a lady who visits a Specialty Store once a week with income over $49,000, and member of a wholesale club
| | Why is the demand for Culver Duck increasing? | | Culver Duck has whittled its costs down over the years. The $30.00 Duck a'LA Orange at the high-end restraurant has found its way to the more casual dining establishments with a price ranging from $15.00 to $18.00. This makes it an option for a much broader market.
Another reason duck is growing in popularity is that our duck can also be found more than once on a menu. Now in appetizers, soups, and salads; patrons can "take a chance" for a few dollars and discover they really like duck.
Of couse, the continuing education within the food industry has helped us tremendously. And, chefs and food service are letting their customer's know about the health benefits of eating duck. Facts such as: Skinless Duck breast has half the fat of skinless chicken breast are worth talking about. Some people have even said "Duck has the nutrition of poultry and the quality of steak."
Maybe the demand for duck is increasing just because people are seeking something different, wanting to try something new.
But, the #1 reason for the increase in duck consumption is that duck tastes GREAT!
| | I'm tailgating. Can I serve Duck? | | You can now truly serve duck for any meal and any occassion. We have great recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ranging from high-end delicacies to picnic favorites.
Some of our duck products that we suggest for tailgate parties include our Marinated Duck Breasts, Smoked Duck Halves and Fully-Cooked Duck Sausage (Culver Duck sausage is all natural and has no byproduct; all duck meat is from the breast and/or leg). Check out our recipe section for specific recipes and our preparation page for detailed "How To's for Cooking Duck". We sell these products in our Online Duck Shop.
We recommend our fully cooked duck products such as the Smoked Duck Halves or our Gourmet Duck Sausage for fastest prep times. You can serve these dishes in approximately 12 minutes and be guranteed a very sucessful entree. Our fully cooked smoked duck halves and fully cooked sausages come in numerous seasonings and flavors and are excellent heated on the grill. Below, we've listed some of our favorites!
MAKE AHEADS INCLUDE:
CAJUN DUCK SAUSAGE GUMBO: For those who like some heat...Make a pot of Gumbo.
ITALIAN STYLE PASTA SALAD: Prep ahead. Try our italian duck sausage with your favorite peppers, onions and a sauce served on a bed of your favorite pasta. Serve with parmesean crisp.
ON THE GRILL:
Actually, tail-gate or not, firing up the grill is the recommended way to heat & eat our Smoked Duck Halves and Duck Sausage Brats. The grill adds a charred carmelization and makes the skin crisp. In our minds, it's a "no brainer".
SUNDRIED TOMATO & GARLIC DUCK BRATS: This duck sausage is great with mustard; and, will put a Brat to shame.
BISTRO SMOKED BBQ DUCK HALVES: For a great way to prepare our Smoked Duck Halves, try Chef Kip Peters' recipe served in a cast iron skillet.
WANT A LITTLE FANCIER TAILGATING SPREAD? TRY THESE GREAT RECIPES:
DUCK SAUSAGE KABOB'S: Slice the sausage and skew with your favorite vegetables. Then, grill...
DUCK BREAST KABOBS You can even use our Marinated Duck Breasts for your Kabobs, if you pre-cook the duck meat before grilling by pan-searing or partially cooking on a George Foreman Grill. These are absolutely exotic! See our Preparation Page for directions.
MARINATED BACON DUCK BREAST: This is an all-time favorite. Perfect for breakfast with scrambled eggs and a sweet muffin. You'll want to pre-cook the Marinated Duck Breast before throwing it on the grill. Pre-cooking can be done by pan-searing, or on a George Foreman Grill. See our Preparation Page for directions.
SERVING BLOODY MARY's?
DUCK SNACK STICKS (or was that SWIZZLE STICKS?)
Culver's Duck Snack Sticks are like a Slim Jim....only made with NO BYPRODUCT. The Culver Duck Snack Stick is rated as excellent by all who taste them. Great for eating by themselves, they are low in fat with a sweet little bite! Great Swizzle Sticks for an early morning Bloody Mary, too! Your guests will love them!
| | Where can I buy Culver Duck? | | You can buy many of our products online; although, shipping can be cost prohibitive since the frozen products must be shipped no more than 2-day air, and packed in dry ice.
Whole frozen duck can also be found in most grocery stores buried under the turkey's and geese. Culver Duck is in grocery stores occasionally; but our product is primarily sold to the Asian food service market.
The Asian market is our "niche". This customer demands a grade above Grade A which has more integrity in the color and texture of the skin. Culver Duck has been primarily in this market since the 1970's. If you go to a China Town in the U.S.A. and see a duck in the window it's a good chance you're looking at a Culver Duck...
Our remaining inventory is sold to the general food service market, grocery stores, specialty stores and butchers. The specialty store and Butcher have carried our Cooked Duck Halves, Cooked Duck Sausage, and Uncooked Marinated Boneless Duck Breasts. But, as duck consumption increases, it is becoming more and more apparent that local grocery's need to be carrying our products.
For now, you can find some of these products in specialty stores. If the do not have our products, please ask them to give us a call. They may put a couple of SKU's in for you to test the market.
Culver Duck is the only duck supplier for Whole Foods' CO-LABELED in the BELL & EVANS package. Also, we can be found in Harris Teeter, Jungle Jim's, Dorothy Lane's, Heinnen's and Fresh Market.
We occasionally hear that someone has seen us in other specialty stores. We do believe we are starting to see demand for our products increasing; and we will appear in more markets more consistently in the future. Please ask for us if you do not see us there. Demand for our product has been known to do wonders.
| General Questions | | | How much duck is eaten in the United States? | | | Duck Consumption has increased 21% since 1996. | | I heard Culver Duck sells everything but the Quack... | | It's true! The eviscerate is sold to rendering plants for a protein additive. Dog food would be an example of a product that might have Culver Duck eviscerate in it. The blood is sold as blood meal for gardening purposes. The feathers are in high demand for down. The fat is sold for food service. Culver Duck fat is comprised of mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. That in itself would be enough to warrant the demand; but, the flavor of duck fat is indescribably delicious. So, chefs use it to cook everything from popcorn to saute of vegetables or eggs.
| Terminology | | | Does Culver Duck use Growth Hormones? | | | This is a marketing ploy used by some duck producers. Culver Duck Farms does not make this claim because it is misleading. It is against the law to use growth hormones for ANY duck. So, of course, Culver does not/cannot/will not EVER use them; nor will we advertise that we don't as if that somehow sets us apart from our competitors. | | What does Anti-biotic Free mean? | | | Ducks are taken off of antibiotics five (5) days before being processed. Some companies use this term to mis-lead the consumer into believing they are eating ducks which have never had antibiotics (see Fed No Antibiotics below). | | What does Fed NO Antibiotics mean? | | | The duck has never had antibiotics. Culver Duck does not give its ducks antibiotics. | Animal Husbandry | | | What do Culver Ducks eat? | | | 55% corn,30% soybean, 15% vitamins, minerals & wheat mids. Feed formulation is crucial to get the proper weight and meat yield. The level of energy formulation is changed according to season and temperature. In the summer more protein and calories are added because the ducks don't eat as much. The formulation is changed in cooler weather as they eat more. One duck eats approximatley 15lb of feed which is formulated into pellets. | | How are Culver Ducks Farmed? | | Culver Ducks are NOT FACTORY FARMED!!! Opps! Were we yelling? That term refers to confined housing, meaning cages.
Culver ducks are raised in barns in flocks of 3-4,000. They start in brooder rooms at a temperature of 95 degrees Farenheit. We begin to drop the temperature two degrees each day until they reach an age of twenty-eight (28) days. By then, they are feathering and can handle cooler weather.
At thirty-five (35) days Culver Ducks are full-grown and feathered. At forty-two (42) days they weigh approximately 7lb. and are ready to process.
Our ducks are raised on the barn floor, not in pens; and get bedded every day. That is to say, kiln-dried sawdust is layed down to keep them clean and to provide them with fresh air. The sawdust is the second highest cost involved in producing the ducks. Each duck has .9 sq ft of space in the brooder and 3.5 sq ft in the finish-end to grow. It is our undertanding that this is four-times the "space to grow" allotted by the other poultry industry growers.
Spreading kiln-dried sawdust every day is also a difference in the Culver view of husbandry management. Most others in the poultry industry put new bedding down only a few times over the course of their bird's lives. Culver Duck believes a critical key to farming ducks is ventilation and we are careful to provide as much fresh air as possible. It is important to the way we raise ducks.
Ducks in barns are safe from predators. In times past, we found a significantly higher mortality rate when the animals were housed in the yards due to a variety of wild animals preying on the ducks. Coyotes, owls, mink, cats, racoons, hawks and seagulls are the most common predators.
The No. 1 reason not to raise poultry outdoors is the risk of bird flu. The entire community in poultry has expressed their belief that this is the primary cause of the spreading of the Avian flu virus; and this belief is supported by the Universities and all who are concerned in the field. Our standards are simple: DO NOT LET THE POULTRY OUTDOORS! Culver Duck sends management to all duck farms involved in the raising of our ducks to manage and monitor living/growing conditions.
| Environmental | | | What do you do with the manure from your operation? | | The manure is used as fertilizer for farms in the area.
We have also researched composting and found potential in its qualities for gardening. Our duck compost is free of weed seed and we have been told by local garden clubs they prefer our compost over mushroom compost. It is especially good for starting new plants, helping to retain moisture, and providing a good mix of nutrients.
Culver Duck compost is suitable for existing trees, evergreens, shrubs perenials, and general lawn and garden. It is an all-natural well-balanced blend and we are actively exploring the compost market and plan to develop this market in the future.
| | What happens to the waste water from your facility? | | The waste water from our processing plant is under total government control. The water is collected in a 1st stage (anaerobic) lagoon. It is then pumped up to a field and the water then drains down over special grasses that filter and thrive on the nutrients in the water.
The filtered run-off is then collected at the bottom of the field and pumped into a second lagoon where it gets aereation and is tested and monitored. Finally, the water is pumped out to acerage that is zoned and approved under government regulations to be irrigated for the raising of corn,soy beans,wheat, hay etc.
The amount of water used for irrigation is regulated and tested to ensure that the proper amount of nitrogen and phosphorus is allowed onto the fields each week. We are hoping to stock our lagoons with fish in the future. | Fact or Fiction? | | | I heard Duck tastes like chicken. Is this true? | | No...Unlike frog legs, rattlesnake, alligator and all the other animals that "taste" like chicken, Duck tastes like, well...
Besides tasting like duck, some food editors have claimed it tastes to them like filet mignon. We like to say it has the nutrition of poultry and the quality of steak. | Duck Trivia | | | Do one legged ducks swim in circles? | | | Yes, but not ours because they lean. | | Which Type of Duck doesn't Quack? | | | Actually, it is the male type, otherwise known as the drake. Maybe he really does quack; but, just can't get a word in edgewise... |
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