A large family of feathered friends feels right at home in the Central Valley even though their roots are thousands of miles away. Claude Bigo, president of Grimaud Farms explains, "We are obviously a French company and we were looking for a way to expand our products, the Muscovy ducks. We thought the U.S.A. was a good place to be." Grimaud Farms is comprised of several facilities in San Joaquin County, but the parent company is in France. Since 1985, Grimaud Farms has been producing Muscovy ducks with a breeding stock from the French farm. Why? The genetic line from France is extremely strong because they’ve been in the business for over 50 years!

Grimaud Farms of California now produces a half million Muscovy ducks a year. While they’re considered a California product with a French connection, their place of origin is somewhere entirely different. Muscovy ducks originated in the warm climates of South America, so they’re naturally lean. To keep it that way, they’re fed a healthy diet made up of mostly wheat, corn, and very little fat. Claude says, "It’s a dark meat, it’s not like chicken. They have less than half the fat of other birds. The fat is concentrated in the skin, so if you don’t eat the skin it’s very lean."

The incubation period for Muscovy ducks is 35 days compared to about 21 days for chickens. It’s a long and delicate process that requires plenty of attention. Hatchery Manager Greg Webb explains, "We have little electric flashlights and we’ll go over each egg and look for blood veins at seven days." After the ducklings hatch, they grow to about eleven pounds in just 12 weeks.

Besides ducks, Grimaud Farms is known for another unique product. Fifteen years ago, the farm began producing rabbits. At the time, they raised about 15,000 a year. Because of consumer demand, the farm now produces over 100,000 a year. While they may not be for everyone, rabbits are considered a delicacy served mainly at upscale restaurants. So, from ducks to rabbits, Grimaud Farms has made quite a name for itself in the world of rare agricultural products. For more information, visit the Grimaud Farms website at www.grimaud.com.

If you have additional questions or comments about this story, please E-mail Producer/Reporter Allison Lund Thompson at athompson@kvie.org.