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Meat goose can represent one of the most significant economic waterfowl in China. An excessively high stocking density can reduce the production performance and welfare of geese. Moreover, the light-emitting diode (LED) green light can play a pivotal role in regulating the growth and development of embryos and offspring in chickens. This study aims to determine the optimal regimen of LED green light in the high-density rearing mode of goslings. According to the actual production, a two-factor experiment was designed with the incubation light (dark and LED green) and growth light (LED white and LED green). A systematic analysis was made to explore the effects of LED green light on growth performance, intestinal development, blood hormones, feather quality, and pecking behaviors of geese in high-stocking density. The results show that the light intensities were 30–40 and 30–35 lx during the incubation and brooding period, respectively, with a light cycle of L:D = 24:0. The growth performance of geese was significantly improved by LED green light during the gosling brooding period. The LED green light during the growing period was found to significantly increase the body weight of geese at 14 days, as well as the daily gain and feed intake of geese for 1 to 14 days (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the ratio of feed to gain of geese for 1 to 14 days (P < 0.05). A significant reduction was found in the concentration of serotonin and corticosterone in the blood, as well as the duodenal crypt depth of the geese at 14 days in the green light group during the growth period (P < 0.05), compared with the white light group. Furthermore, the LED green light irradiation during the growing period was observed to significantly increase the length of the chest and abdomen feathers of geese at 14 days post-hatching (P < 0.05), whereas, the back bare score of geese was reduced at 14 days post-hatching (P < 0.01), and the average pecking time and frequency of geese was reduced for 1 to 14 days post-hatching (P < 0.001). Thus, the green light environment during the growing period was significantly beneficial to the quality of the feathers and the development of geese plumage. The LED green light during the embryonic period was found to significantly reduce the average pecking time and frequency (P < 0.05) for better feather pecking behavior in geese. Moreover, the hatching procedure of green light outstandingly reduced the duodenal crypt depth (P < 0.01), where there was an increase in the jejunal villus height of geese at 14 days (P < 0.05), compared with the control group. The adverse effects of intensive farming were reduced on the intestinal development of geese. Moreover, there was no significant interaction to identify between the incubation and brood lights, in terms of the regulation of growth performance, intestinal development, blood hormones, feather quality (feather length, cleanliness, and damage degree), and feather pecking behavior of geese. Therefore, the LED green light shared the positive regulations on the negative effects of high-density rearing of goslings. Moreover, the LED green light during the growing period of goslings yielded superior outcomes. It is thus recommended that green light irradiation can be employed at the brood stage of goslings in actual production, in order to mitigate the adverse effects of modern intensive farming on goslings. The findings can provide a theoretical basis for the efficient production of geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Erysipelas in geese and ducks is an infectious disease causing considerable economic losses in the poultry sector in Poland. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of erysipelas cases in age groups of geese and in periods of the calendar year and to assess macroscopic lesions in birds infected with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.2. The study used 286 geese and 16 ducks delivered to the laboratory for diagnosis in the years 2019–2021. The birds came from 99 different farms. E. rhusiopathiae from clinical samples were cultured on Columbia blood agar and identified by real-time PCR. Pathological lesions were characterised during anatomopathological examination.3. Distribution of erysipelas cases in age groups of geese and periods of the calendar year differed significantly from the assumed even distribution. Most cases were noted in August and September in birds aged between 11 and 13 weeks. Necropsy of birds infected with E. rhusiopathiae showed anatomopathological lesions characteristic of generalised infection, affecting multiple organs.4. The uneven distribution of erysipelas cases in geese in different age groups and periods of the calendar year suggested that both the age of the birds and climatic conditions are predisposing factors for infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) and domestic greylag geese (Anser anser domesticus) remains poorly understood. This is mainly caused by the difficulty of identifying archaeological bones as domestic due to the existing overlap in sizes. A recently published osteometrical methodology is applied that successfully allows to identify domestic forms and distinguish between anatid species with more confidence. Four archaeological assemblages from the Zuid Holland province in the Netherlands are reanalyzed, ranging from the Roman period to the 17th century AD.It is determined that domestic geese were present in the Netherlands since at least 160–230 AD and domestic ducks since at least 585–725 AD. The latter might also be present in the Roman assemblage, but the evidence is inconclusive. Domestic species constitute only a small percentage of the total consumed anatids and do not surpass 15%–20% in any case, which is mainly caused by the weight of wildfowling in the Netherlands. Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were therefore much more prevalent than domestic anatids in all assemblages. Taphonomical analysis did not show substantial differences between wild and domestic anatids. The sample size considered in this project is likely too small and biased to accurately detect any kind of evolution through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The intestine plays an important role in mediating between the bird and its nutritional environment. The yolk stalk, also known as Meckel's diverticulum, is a landmark between the jejunum and ileum. This work aimed to investigate the anatomical, histological, and electron microscopical features of cellular components of the Meckel's diverticulum (MD) in adult geese. Methods: The intestine was dissected from the bird's body cavity, and Meckel's diverticulum was exposed and prepared for light and electron microscopical examinations. Results: Our results revealed that the MD mucosa is thrown up into villi and crypts, and the mucosal epithelium is a columnar epithelium with goblet cells as well as intraepithelial lymphocytes. Lymphoid follicles and numerous immune cells were demonstrated within the lamina propria. The mucous glands were also observed within the lamina propria and among the lymphoid follicles. The lining epithelium of MD appeared with different staining affinities: dark cells (electron-dense) and light cells (electron-lucent) contained few mitochondria and more secretory vesicles, while dark cells contained more mitochondria and fewer secretory vesicles. Immunohistochemical analysis of MD revealed positive immunoreactivity for several markers, such as CD117, chromogranin, PLCβ, cytokeratin, MHC II, and S100. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings suggest that MD is considered an immune organ in adult geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the species assemblages and migration connectivity of geese species is crucial for their conservation and management. It helps identify important stopover sites, breeding grounds, and wintering areas, allowing for targeted conservation efforts and the preservation of key habitats along their migratory routes. This study was designed to investigate the avian richness and habitat suitability of geese species at wetlands of Punjab, Pakistan. The surveys were conducted from October 2020 to March 2021 and October 2021 to March 2022 on monthly basis using point count method. Five species of geese were recorded at the wetlands including bar-headed goose Anser indicus, with the highest number of individuals (2,701 at eleven sites) followed by greylag goose Anser anser (1,224 at nine sites), cotton pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus (74 at eleven sites), greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons (46 at five sites) and lesser white-fronted goose Anser erythropus (seven at three sites). Overall, 175 species were recorded at the study sites belonging to 13 orders and 39 families. According to the IUCN red list, 148 species were least concern, 16 were near threatened and 11 were threatened (vulnerable (06), endangered (04) and critically endangered (01)). Habitat suitability index was used to rank the suitability of geese species at various sites from highly suitable to least suitable. Marala Headworks was found to be at the top as per habitat suitability score for all geese species, followed by Chashma, Taunsa and Bajwat. Even if these sites are suitable, they fall short of being highly suitable. Thus, maintenance of these locations must be given top priority in order to conserve the goose species that rely on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large datasets are required to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) models in AI powered smart farming for reducing farmers' routine workload, this paper contributes the first large lion-head goose dataset GooseDetectlion, which consists of 2,660 images and 98,111 bounding box annotations. The dataset was collected with 6 cameras deployed in a goose farm in Chenghai district of Shantou city, Guangdong province, China. Images sampled from videos collected during July 9 -10 in 2022 were fully annotated by a team of fifty volunteers. Compared with another 6 well known animal datasets in literature, our dataset has higher capacity and density, which provides a challenging detection benchmark for main stream object detectors. Six state-of-the-art object detectors have been selected to be evaluated on the GooseDetectlion, which includes one two-stage anchor-based detector, three one-stage anchor-based detectors, as well as two one-stage anchor-free detectors. The results suggest that the one-stage anchor-based detector You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLO v5) achieves the best overall performance in terms of detection precision, model size and inference efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. This study evaluated the effects and mechanisms of action of the peptide gADP3 on hepatic inflammatory injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).2. Hepatic inflammatory injury was induced in geese by intraperitoneal injection of LPS and gADP3, and the adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon (positive control) was used for potential amelioration. Serum inflammatory factor levels, liver function-related biochemical indicators and oxidative stress-related biochemical parameters in the liver tissues were determined. The expression levels of adiponectin and its receptors, inflammation and oxidative stress-related genes and key signalling molecules involved in adiponectin, inflammation and oxidative stress signalling pathways in liver tissues were detected.3. The peptide gADP3 alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and hepatic inflammatory changes, reversed the decrease in serum albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) content or activity induced by LPS and increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes CAT (catalase), SOD (superoxide dismutase) and GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase).4. The peptide gADP3 upregulated the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes GCLC, HO-1 and NQO1 in liver tissues, decreased the levels of inflammatory factors like TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ and TGF-β and reduced mRNA expression levels of inflammatory-related genes TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and TGF-β. Additionally, it increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of adiponectin and its receptors, as well as key molecules in the adiponectin signalling pathway like AMPK and PPARα. In addition, gADP3 reversed the changes in mRNA or protein expression of inflammatory and oxidative stress signalling pathway-related genes P38MAPK, NF-κBP65, TLR4 and Nrf2 in liver tissues caused by LPS treatment.5. In conclusion, goose-derived adiponectin peptide gADP3, similar to the adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon, attenuated LPS-induced hepatic inflammatory injury in geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV), Goose parvovirus (GPV), Duck circovirus, (DuCV) and Duck adenovirus 3 (DAdV-3) are important pathogens that cause high morbidity and mortality in ducks, causing huge economic loss for the duck industry. Methods: The present study, a quadruplex one-step real time quantitative PCR method for the detection of MDPV, GPV, DuCV, and DAdV-3 was developed. Results: The results showed that assay had no cross-reactivity with other poultry pathogens [Duck plague virus (DPV), Duck tembusu virus (DTMUV), H6 avian influenza virus (H6 AIV), New duck reovirus (NDRV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), H4 avian influenza virus (H4 AIV), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Muscovy duck reovirus (MDRV), Egg drop syndrome virus (EDSV), Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida)]. The sensitivity result showed that the limits of detection for MDPV, GPV, DuCV, and DAdV-3 were 10, 10, 1 and 10 copies/µl, respectively; The coefficients of variation intra- and inter-method was 1-2%; The range of linear (109 to 103 copies/µL) demonstrated the R2 values for MDPV, GPV, DuCV, and DAdV-3 as 0.9975, 0.998, 0.9964, and 0.996, respectively. The quadruplex real time quantitative PCR method efficiency was 90.30%, 101.10%, 90.72%, and 90.57% for MDPV, GPV, DuCV, and DAdV-3, respectively. 396 clinical specimens collected in some duck sausages from June 2022 to July 2023 were simultaneously detected using the established quadruplex real time quantitative PCR method and the reported assays. The detection rates for MDPV, GPV, DuCV, and DAdV-3 were 8.33% (33/396), 17.93% (71/396), 33.58% (133/396), and 29.04% (115/396), respectively. The agreement between these assays was greater than 99.56%. Discussion: The developed quadruplex real-time quantitative PCR assay can accurately detect these four viruses infecting ducks, providing a rapid, sensitive, specific and accurate technique for clinical testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to other jurisdictions across North America, populations of temperate‐nesting giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) have increased to unprecedented levels in Manitoba, Canada, causing extensive damage to crops and property, posing risks to human safety, and mostly avoiding mortality risk from fall hunting seasons. As a result, this population in southern Manitoba was declared overabundant in 2019, through an amendment to the Canada Migratory Birds Regulations. Management authorities sought to increase harvest rates by introducing an additional hunting period in spring, or conservation season, wherein harvest could be concentrated on this population. An important consideration was the need to avoid additional harvest on non‐target populations that do not meet the criteria to be classified as overabundant, specifically, sub‐arctic nesting Canada geese (Branta canadensis interior) and mid‐continent cackling geese (Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii). To investigate differences in migration timing of populations, and ultimately determine start and closure dates for the spring conservation season, we deployed light‐level geolocators on adult females of each population between 2016 and 2018. We used Bayesian approaches to derive locations from light‐level data and generalized linear mixed models to investigate potential differences in timing of international border crossing among goose populations. Migration data confirmed that movement of these populations overlapped extensively in fall, but in spring, a narrow period existed where mainly the target population was present. Our findings provide the basis for decisions about timing of spring conservation seasons for overabundant temperate‐nesting Canada geese in Manitoba, the first season of its kind for this population in North America. Additionally, our work represents the first large‐scale use of light‐level geolocator technology for assisting with waterfowl harvest management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed internal dispersal of zooplankton by waterbirds (endozoochory) in New Zealand, quantifying zooplankton eggs in faecal droppings collected at two lakes, Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton) and Lake Rotorua. Sixty-seven faecal droppings were collected from Mallard Ducks (20), Canada Geese (11), Greylag Geese (6), Black Swans (20) and Australian Coots (10). Fifty eggs were found, with a mean of 0.75 eggs per dropping, indicating that waterbirds consume zooplankton eggs, and that these pass through the digestive system. No significant difference was observed in the abundance of eggs among waterbird species, and no eggs hatched in the laboratory. Our results suggest that waterbird dispersal of zooplankton in New Zealand is occurring, but numbers being transported are low. Further, as non-native waterbirds such as mallard ducks and geese do not migrate in New Zealand to the extent they do elsewhere, they are likely not primary vectors for zooplankton dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Australian Aboriginal English (AAE) is a variety known to differ in various ways from the mainstream, but to date very little phonetic analysis has been carried out. This study is a description of L1 Aboriginal English in southern Australia, aiming to comprehensively describe the acoustics of vowels, focusing in particular on vowels known to be undergoing change in Mainstream Australian English. Previous work has focused on static measures of F1/F2, and here we expand on this by adding duration analyses, as well as dynamic F1/F2 measures. (2) Methods: This paper uses acoustic-phonetic analyses to describe the vowels produced by speakers of Aboriginal Australian English from two communities in southern Australia (Mildura and Warrnambool). The focus is vowels undergoing change in the mainstream variety–the short vowels in KIT, DRESS, TRAP, STRUT, LOT, and the long vowel GOOSE; focusing on duration, and static and dynamic F1/F2. As part of this description, we analyse the data using the sociophonetic variables gender, region, and age, and also compare the Aboriginal Australian English vowels to those of Mainstream Australian English. (3) Results: On the whole, for duration, few sociophonetic differences were observed. For static F1/F2, we saw that L1 Aboriginal English vowel spaces tend to be similar to Mainstream Australian English but can be analysed as more conservative (having undergone less change) as has also been observed for L2 Aboriginal English, in particular for KIT, DRESS, and TRAP. The Aboriginal English speakers had a less peripheral vowel space than Mainstream Australian English speakers. Dynamic analyses also highlighted dialectal differences between Aboriginal and Mainstream Australian English speakers, with greater F1/F2 movement in the trajectories of vowels overall for AAE speakers, which was more evident for some vowels (TRAP, STRUT, LOT, and GOOSE). Regional differences in vowel quality between the two locations were minimal, and more evident in the dynamic analyses. (4) Conclusions: This paper further highlights how Aboriginal Australian English is uniquely different from Mainstream Australian English with respect to certain vowel differences, and it also highlights some ways in which the varieties align. The differences, i.e., a more compressed vowel space, and greater F1/F2 movement in the trajectories of short vowels for AAE speakers, are specific ways that Aboriginal Australian English and Mainstream Australian English accents are different in these communities in the southern Australian state of Victoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaboration in Multi-Agent Systems (MASs) is crucial but challenging in robotics, especially in heterogeneous MASs where robots have different capabilities. Nowadays, the key issue in research on collaboration in MASs is to fully utilize the capabilities of heterogeneous agents. To address this issue, we propose Auction-Based Behavior Tree Evolution (ABTE), a novel two-layer framework designed to learn BTs for heterogeneous MASs. In the first layer, we call it the command layer, and robots receive their tasks through the auction algorithm, enhanced by our innovative three-way handshaking communication protocol embedded in BT implementation, ensuring more efficient task allocation. The second layer of ABTE defines the specific execution behaviors of agents and is, therefore, named the execution layer. The behaviors in this layer are automatically generated by Grammatical Evolution (GE), which has been proven to be a general and effective method for generating swarm BTs. Our experiments are conducted within a Disaster Rescue Scenario, which requires intricate collaboration among multiple robots with diverse capabilities. The results indicate that ABTE outperforms the baseline algorithm, GEESE, in terms of resource utilization. Moreover, it demonstrates robust effectiveness in covering high-priority tasks, thereby validating the efficacy of employing an auction algorithm for generating BTs tailored for heterogeneous MAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“ARRIAH-AviFluVac” vaccine against H5 avian influenza was demonstrated to be effective for ducks, geese and turkeys both in the laboratory and production environment. When administered to ducks at 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 cm3, the vaccine provided 100%-effective protection of birds against the disease and death after challenge with the relevant high pathogenicity avian influenza virus of subtype H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b. Singular 0.5–1.5 cm3 inoculation induced formation of antibodies, which were detected in the hemagglutination inhibition test at the titres that ranged from 4.3 to 6.1 log2. The vaccine facilitated 9–26-fold decrease in the virulent virus shedding by the ducks. Protection of turkeys vaccinated at the dose of 1.0 cm3 was maintained at the level of 87.5% after challenge with high pathogenicity avian influenza virus of subtype H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b. The vaccine induced formation of antibodies at the titres of 4.9 and 5.5 log2 in turkeys after singular and double vaccination at the dose of 1.0 cm3, respectively. It was demonstrated, that after double administration of 1.0 cm3 of “ARRIAH-AviFluVac” vaccine, the post-vaccinal avian influenza antibody level exceeded 5.0 log2 in 75.9–90.0% of the geese population. The most appropriate way of the vaccine use in turkeys, ducks and geese involves at least its double administration at the double commercial dose. Higher species resistance of ducks to the challenge with avian influenza virus of subtype H5, clade 2.3.4.4bas compared to turkeys was also demonstrated.

Abstract Males and females have long shown disparities in body weight and height; yet, the underlying mechanisms influencing growth and development remain unclear. Male and female Zhedong White Geese (ZDW) geese have long been selected for large body size and egg production, respectively. This led to a large difference in body weight between males and females, making them a unique model for studying the effects of sex on growth and development. This study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by comparing the transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary tissues in male and female ZDW geese to identify the critical genes responsible for the effects of sex on growth performance. Our analysis revealed 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leg musculature (507 upregulated, 594 downregulated), 773 DEGs in breast musculature (311 upregulated, 462 downregulated), and 517 DEGs in the pituitary gland (281 upregulated, 236 downregulated) between male and female geese. These DEGs were significantly enriched in gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with endocrine metabolism (e.g., hormonal activities), muscle formation (e.g., sarcomere and myofibril), and bone formation (e.g., bone morphogenesis and cartilage formation). The upregulated genes in males were enriched in KEGG pathways involving nutrient digestion and absorption (vitamin and protein), as well as the secretion of digestive juices (gastric acid and bile). Through protein–protein interaction analyses, we also observed high-density gene networks related to muscle fiber development, calcium ion metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, and bone development. Therefore, our multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides a deeper understanding of the complex and systematic gender-driven effects on growth and development in geese. IGF1, GHRHR, and NCAPG-LCORL and pathways related to myogenesis might play vital roles in gender differences before hormones exert their effect.

Waterfowl are the main reservoir for most influenza A virus subtypes, and they can effectively transmit these viruses to other birds and humans. This study aims to identify two influenza virus subtypes, H5 and H7, in domestic geese and ducks in Basrah governorate, Southern Iraq. 310 cloacal swabs were obtained from 150 domestic geese and 160 domestic ducks from different geographical areas. The viruses were first detected by RT-PCR using a pair of universal primers. All positive samples underwent RT-PCR using gene-specific primers to identify H5 and H7 influenza virus subtypes. The results showed that the prevalence of influenza viruses detected through universal primers was 37.7%. Of these, 24.6% and 50% were positive for viruses in domestic geese and ducks, respectively. Regarding virus subtyping in geese, the infection rates with H5 and H7 were 43.2% and 29.7%, respectively, with 27% as a combination of the two, while in domestic ducks, the infection rate with H5 was 27.5%, and with H7 it was 15%. Interestingly, ducks had a high concurrent infection rate for both H5 and H7 subtypes, accounting for 57.5%. The study concluded that the two virus subtypes, individually or simultaneously, were present in domestic waterfowl in regions of Basrah, and they were higher in ducks than in geese.

Giant Canada geese, so ubiquitous today in cities across the country, were once considered extinct. What can we learn from watching them up [...]

Introduction: Goose astrovirus (GAstV) is a newly emerging pathogen that is currently widespread among geese, causing visceral gout and leading to substantial gosling mortalities, posing a severe threat to the waterfowl industry. GAstV II is the predominant epidemic strain, characterized by its high morbidity and mortality rate. Consequently, there is an urgent necessity to develop an effective diagnostic approach to control the dissemination of GAstV II, particularly in clinical farms with limited laboratory resources. Methods: In this study, a novel multi-enzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA) and lateral flow dipstick (LFD) combined assay was developed. Different primers designed specific targeting a highly conserved region within the viral RdRp gene for the detection of GAstV II. Primers optimized and MIRA-LFD assay analyzed its performance regarding limits of detection, specificity, and efficiency of detection. Results: The developed MIRA amplification is conducted at a constant temperature and accomplished within 10 minutes. Subsequent naked-eye observation of the LFD strips merely takes 5 minutes. The established MIRALFD method exhibits high specificity, with no cross-reaction with other pathogens and attains a detection sensitivity of 1 copy/ml, which is consistent with the reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. Further evaluation with clinical samples indicates that the accuracy of this MIRA-LFD method correlates well with RT-qPCR for the detection of GAstV II. Conclusion: In summary, the convenience, sensitivity, and rapidity of this newly developed detection method offer a significant advantage for on-site diagnosis of GAstV II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particularly, environmental pollution, such as air pollution, is still a significant issue of concern all over the world and thus requires the identification of good models for prediction to enable management. Blind Source Separation (BSS), Copula functions, and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network integrated with the Greylag Goose Optimization (GGO) algorithm have been adopted in this research work to improve air pollution forecasting. The proposed model involves preprocessed data from the urban air quality monitoring dataset containing complete environmental and pollutant data. The application of Noise Reduction and Isolation techniques involves the use of methods such as Blind Source Separation (BSS). Using copula functions affords an even better estimate of the dependence structure between the variables. Both the BSS and Copula parameters are then estimated using GGO, which notably enhances the performance of these parameters. Finally, the air pollution levels are forecasted using a time series employing LSTM networks optimized by GGO. The results reveal that GGO-LSTM optimization exhibits the lowest mean squared error (MSE) compared to other optimization methods of the proposed model. The results underscore that certain aspects, such as noise reduction, dependence modeling and optimization of parameters, provide much insight into air quality. Hence, this integrated framework enables a proper approach to monitoring the environment by offering planners and policymakers information to help in articulating efficient environment air quality management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The bar-headed goose (Anser indicus), one of the most well-known high-altitude birds, is renowned for its adaptation to high-altitude environments. Previous studies have shown that they can be infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza; however, there is currently limited research on other viruses in bar-headed geese. Methods: In this study, 10 fecal samples of healthy bar-headed geese were collected, and viral metagenomics method was conducted to identify novel picornaviruses. Results: Seven novel picornaviruses were identified in the fecal samples of bar-headed geese. Most of these picornaviruses were genetically different from other currently known viruses in the NCBI dataset. Among them, PICV4 was determined to be a new species belonging to the Anativirus genus, PICV5 and PICV13 were classified as novel species belonging to the Hepatovirus genus, and the remaining four picornaviruses (PICV1, PICV19, PICV21, and PICV22) were identified as part of the Megrivirus A species of the Megrivirus genus. Recombinant analysis indicates that PICV21 was a potential recombinant, and the major and minor parents were PICV1 and PICV22, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this study increase our understanding of the diversity of picornaviruses in bar-headed geese and provide practical viral genome information for the prevention and treatment of potential viral diseases affecting this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the growing acceptance of goose meat production, its nutritional value, and its varied cultural and gastronomic significance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the global output of goose meat between 2023 and 2027. The investigation was carried out using statistical data websites, such as FAOSTAT. Forecasts for upcoming years were created by combining data on the production of goose meat from 1961 to 2022. The ARIMA model was used to create forecasts, and the most appropriate model was found using the SAS statistical program. Because it outperformed the other models on several metrics, including AIC, BIC, SSE, MSE, SBC, MAE, MAPE, DW, RMSE, HQC, and R2, the ARIMA (3,1,1) model was determined to be the most suitable model. It is projected that the amount of goose meat produced worldwide will rise from 150 thousand tons in 1961 to 4 million 751 thousand tons in 2027. A change of -0.019% was computed based on the differences between the average of the 61 years that followed this period and the actual production figures for the 62 years between 1961 and 2022. The current study predicts that global goose meat production will increase by 246.32% in the five years between 2023 and 2027, compared to the average of the previous 62 years. The results of this study, which used advanced statistical methods and market analysis, suggest that goose meat production will increase over the next five years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating materials of both natural and anthropogenic origin affect marine ecosystems and human economic activities. Although the tracking of floating materials is important to manage the economic risks, it is difficult to trace them back to the events of origin, such as tsunamis and underwater volcanic eruptions. The gooseneck barnacle Lepas anserifera, a rapid colonizer in pelagic environments, is a potential "natural logger" of floating materials. In this study, we performed temperature-controlled culture experiments and growth line staining in the laboratory to quantify the growth increments of shells (scutum and tergum) consisting the capitulum of L. anserifera separately, and to examine the effects of the temperature on their growth. Following calcein staining, the growth lines of L. anserifera were visualized under a fluorescent microscope, and gross (capitular length and width) and individual (scutum and tergum) shell growth were compared. Shells grew in twice as much in the capitular length direction than in the capitular width direction owing to the larger growth increases in the scutum than in the tergum. Growth increments were unaffected by temperatures in the range from 20°C to 30°C, although the growth appeared to slow down in September and October compared with August. The stable oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of the shells represented the water temperature as previously known, and the present results showed that 18O enriched in scutum than tergum in most cases. Further understanding for the biomineralization process of barnacles is required for the precise application of environmental proxies in barnacle shells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to monitor the dynamics and to measure the safety and efficacy of a live, attenuated, thermosensitive Mycoplasma anserisalpingitidis vaccine candidate, namely MA271, in geese breeder flocks under field conditions. Two rearing flocks were vaccinated with MA271 at 4 weeks of age and boosted at 24 weeks of age by cloaca inoculation (1 ml) and eye-dropping (60 µl). The geese then were transported to multi-aged breeding farms. Two breeding flocks served as controls. Colonization of the cloaca by MA271 showed 75% maximum prevalence between 4 and 6 weeks after the first vaccination. Then the prevalence decreased to 25% until the cooler, humid fall months which coincided with the booster vaccination. Boosting raised cloacal colonization to 100%. No clinical signs were observed in the vaccinated birds. After transportation to five multi-aged breeding farms, the wild-type strain appeared as well as MA271 in three flocks. In one flock, the wild-type strain completely displaced MA271, while in one flock only MA271 was detected. Only wild-type strains were detected in the control flocks; however, due to an HPAI outbreak, both flocks were exterminated before the end of the study. Based on the available data, the median percentage of infertile eggs was 3.7-5.1% in the MA271 vaccinated flocks, and 7.7% in the non-vaccinated flock. In conclusion, MA271 can colonize the cloaca of geese under field conditions. MA271 proved to be safe and presumably protects against M. anserisalpingitidis-induced reproduction losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes of six endangered goose breeds (Xupu, Yangjiang, Yan, Wuzong, Baizi, and Lingxian) were sequenced and compared to assess the genetic diversity of endangered goose breeds. By constructing phylogenetic trees and evolutionary maps of genetic relationships, the affinities and degrees of genetic variations among the six different breeds were revealed. A total of 92 polymorphic sites were detected in the 741 bp sequence of the mtDNA COI gene after shear correction, and the GC content of the processed sequence (51.11%) was higher than that of the AT content (48.89%). The polymorphic loci within the populations of five of the six breeds (Xupu, Yangjiang, Yan, Baizi, and Lingxian) were more than 10, the haplotype diversity > 0.5, and the nucleotide diversity (Pi) > 0.005, with the Baizi geese being the exception. A total of 35 haplotypes were detected based on nucleotide variation among sequences, and the goose breed haplotypes showed a central star-shaped dispersion; the FST values were −0.03781 to 0.02645, The greatest genetic differentiation (FST = 0.02645) was observed in Yan and Wuzong breeds. The most frequent genetic exchange (Nm > 15.00) was between the Wuzong and Yangjiang geese. An analysis of molecular variance showed that the population genetic variation mainly came from within the population; the base mismatch differential distribution analysis of the goose breeds and the Tajima's D and Fu's Fs neutral detection of the historical occurrence dynamics of their populations were negative (p > 0.10). The distribution curve of the base mismatches showed a multimodal peak, which indicated that the population tended to be stabilised. These results provide important genetic information for the conservation and management of endangered goose breeds and a scientific basis for the development of effective conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluid mechanics underlying the collective motion of fish schools and bird flocks still lack full understanding. In this paper, the collective motion of multiple asynchronous flapping foils is numerically studied. It is found that various and orderly formations are achieved by multiple foils only via hydrodynamic interactions. Three distinct states have been verified according to the equilibrium distance between adjacent foils, i.e., the sparse state, the compact state, and the combined state. The "head goose effect" is found in the combined state, and the significant speed enhancement can be observed in both the compact and combined states, except when the first subgroup of the combined group is isolated. The obvious energy savings can be observed in most cases examined in the current work, no matter which state occurs. Moreover, for a given phase difference, the compact group has the highest propulsive efficiency, while the sparse group has the lowest. In addition, the fluid mechanics by which the multiple-foil system achieves speed enhancement and energy savings are analyzed. The results obtained here may shed some light on understanding the collective motion of fish schools and bird flocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Melanin distribution typically exhibits a gradient dilution along the dorsal-ventral axis of the body, including in domestic geese. However, the specific genes and molecular mechanisms responsible for this melanin distribution pattern remain incompletely understood. 2. The transcriptomic comparisons were conducted at three embryonic stages, specifically on embryonic d 15 (E15), 22 (E22), and 29 (E29), between the pigmented dorsal skin and the depigmented distal foot. 3. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with melanin synthesis were identified, particularly TYR, TYRP1, and EDNRB2, which exhibited significantly higher expression levels in the dorsal skin at E15 and E22. However, expression levels significantly decreased in later stages (E29). 4. The ASIP gene showed remarkably high-expression levels in the distal feet compared to the dorsal skin post-E22 stage (log2FC: 5.31/6.88 at E22/E29). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis detected eight terms associated with melanin synthesis and melanosome formation (p < 0.05), including melanosome membrane (GO: 0033162) and melanin biosynthetic process (GO: 0042438). Additionally, KEGG pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of the melanogenesis pathway (hsa004916) at d 22 (E22). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding whether hunting mortality is additive to or compensated by other mortality sources is at the heart of managing harvested populations. Long‐lived species are expected to exhibit hunting mortality additive to other sources of mortality, making them ideal candidates for population management through sport harvest. Previous studies on these processes have focussed on density‐dependent natural mortality compensating for hunting mortality, but when harvest occurs in distinct periods of the year, heterogeneity in hunting vulnerability between individuals could also lead to compensatory mortality between these periods. We explore this new idea using the case of the greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlantica), a harvested species whose population became overabundant in the late 20th century. To control this population, wildlife agencies liberalised hunting regulations with unprecedented actions such as special hunting seasons implemented in spring 1999 in Canada and in winter 2009 in the USA. To determine the relative impact of each measure on survival, we estimated survival of adult geese on a seasonal basis using 30 years of capture‐mark‐reencounter data in a joint live‐and‐dead‐encounter multievent model. We also used this quasi‐experimental set‐up to evaluate possible compensation in hunting mortality between seasons. We found that both special hunting seasons decreased goose survival in the seasons and periods in which they were implemented. However, survival increased during the spring hunting season after the establishment of the special winter hunting season in the USA in 2009. There was a negative relationship between annual spring and winter mortalities, suggesting that the increase in hunting mortality in winter was compensated by a reduction in spring mortality after 2009. Synthesis and applications: To our knowledge, we report the first documented instance of hunting mortality in one season being compensated by a reduction in hunting mortality in a subsequent season. We suggest that heterogeneity in hunting vulnerability among individuals, possibly linked to the presence of juveniles, may explain this phenomenon. A better knowledge of seasonal patterns and relationships between mortality components is needed to improve our understanding of population dynamics and management of harvested populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the number of individuals who drive electric vehicles increases, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that charging infrastructure is both dependable and conveniently accessible. Methodology: In this paper, a recommendation system is proposed with the purpose of assisting users of electric vehicles in locating charging stations that are closer to them, improving the charging experience, and lowering range anxiety. The proposed method is based on restricted Boltzmann machine learning to collect and evaluate real-time data on a variety of aspects, including the availability of charging stations and historical patterns of consumption. To optimize the parameters of the restricted Boltzmann machine, a new optimization algorithm is proposed and referred to as parallel greylag goose (PGGO) algorithm. The recommendation algorithm takes into consideration a variety of user preferences. These preferences include charging speed, cost, network compatibility, amenities, and proximity to the user's present location. By addressing these preferences, the proposed approach reduces the amount of irritation experienced by users, improves charging performance, and increases customer satisfaction. Results: The findings demonstrate that the method is effective in recommending charging stations that are close to drivers of electric vehicles. On the other hand, the Wilcoxon rank-sum and Analysis of Variance tests are utilized in this work to investigate the statistical significance of the proposed parallel greylag goose optimization method and restricted Boltzmann machine model. The proposed methodology could achieve a recommendation accuracy of 99% when tested on the adopted dataset. Conclusion: Based on the achieved results, the proposed method is effective in recommending systems for the best charging stations for electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian astrovirus can infect a variety of poultry species and cause viral diarrhea, with a wide epidemic range strong pathogenicity and a high incidence. Among them, Duck astrovirus 3(DAstV-3), Duck astrovirus 4(DAstV-4), Goose astrovirus 1(GoAstV-1) and Goose astrovirus 2(GoAstV-2) are four types of astroviruses newly discovered in waterfowl in recent years. In order to realize the rapid detection of these four kinds of waterfowl stellate viruses, specific primers and probes were engineered to target a highly conserved region of ORF1b gene of DAstV-3, GoAstV-1 and GoAstV-2 and the ORF2 gene of DAstV-4, and a quadruple fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR method was developed. The results indicate that the method established in this study has good specificity and no cross reactivity with other pathogens. This method can detect viruses with a minimum concentration of 1 × 101 copies/µL for DAstV-4, GoAstV-1 and GoAstV-2, respectively, while the minimum concentration for DAstV-3 is 1 × 102 copies/µL. Compared with the routinely used RT-PCR method, the limit of detection by the multiplex RT-PCR lower. Both intra- and inter-assay variability tests revealed excellent reproducibility. This method was then used to analyze 269 field samples, and the results were verified by genome sequencing. In conclusion, this study presents a sensitive, accurate, and specific method for detecting DAstV-3, DAstV-4, GoAstV-1, and GoAstV-2 in a single reaction, enabling the monitoring and differential diagnosis of these four types of waterfowl astroviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duck circovirus (DuCV) is one of the most prevalent infectious viruses in the duck industry in China. Although the clinical signs vary, it often causes immunosuppression in the host and leads to secondary infection with other pathogens. Novel goose parvovirus (NGPV) mainly infects ducks and causes short beak and dwarfism syndrome in ducks. However, the incidence of infection in ducks has increased in recent years, and the phenomenon of mixed infection with DuCV is common, resulting in more severe clinical morbidity. However, there are no systematic studies evaluating the presence of mixed infections. In order to investigate the synergistic pathogenicity of DuCV and NGPV co-infection in SPF ducks, a comparative experiment using DuCV and NGPV co-infection and mono-infection bird models was established. The results showed that the clinical signs of short beak, dwarfism and immunosuppression were more obvious in DuCV and NGPV co-infected ducks; the tissue damage of target organs was more serious, and the viral titre in organs and cloacal swabs were more significant compared with those of SPF ducks infected with only one virus. The results indicated that co-infection with DuCV and NGPV could promote viral replication and cause more severe tissue damage and immunosuppression than single virus infection. The present study reveals that the co-infection of NGPV and DuCV has a synergistic pathogenic effect from the aspect of pathogenicity, and the conclusions drawn not only clarify the direction of the subsequent research on the mechanism of co-infection of NGPV and DuCV, but also provide a scientific basis for the research on the co-infection of immunosuppressive pathogens and other pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Males and females have long shown disparities in body weight and height; yet, the underlying mechanisms influencing growth and development remain unclear. Male and female Zhedong White Geese (ZDW) geese have long been selected for large body size and egg production, respectively. This led to a large difference in body weight between males and females, making them a unique model for studying the effects of sex on growth and development. This study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by comparing the transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary tissues in male and female ZDW geese to identify the critical genes responsible for the effects of sex on growth performance. Our analysis revealed 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leg musculature (507 upregulated, 594 downregulated), 773 DEGs in breast musculature (311 upregulated, 462 downregulated), and 517 DEGs in the pituitary gland (281 upregulated, 236 downregulated) between male and female geese. These DEGs were significantly enriched in gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with endocrine metabolism (e.g., hormonal activities), muscle formation (e.g., sarcomere and myofibril), and bone formation (e.g., bone morphogenesis and cartilage formation). The upregulated genes in males were enriched in KEGG pathways involving nutrient digestion and absorption (vitamin and protein), as well as the secretion of digestive juices (gastric acid and bile). Through protein–protein interaction analyses, we also observed high-density gene networks related to muscle fiber development, calcium ion metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, and bone development. Therefore, our multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides a deeper understanding of the complex and systematic gender-driven effects on growth and development in geese. IGF1, GHRHR, and NCAPG-LCORL and pathways related to myogenesis might play vital roles in gender differences before hormones exert their effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study presents the assembly of a high-quality Taihu goose genome at the Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) level. By employing advanced sequencing technologies, including Pacific Biosciences HiFi reads, Oxford Nanopore long reads, Illumina short reads, and chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C), we achieved an exceptional assembly. The T2T assembly encompasses a total length of 1,197,991,206 bp, with contigs N50 reaching 33,928,929 bp and scaffold N50 attaining 81,007,908 bp. It consists of 73 scaffolds, including 38 autosomes and one pair of Z/W sex chromosomes. Importantly, 33 autosomes were assembled without any gap, resulting in a contiguous representation. Furthermore, gene annotation efforts identified 34,898 genes, including 436,162 RNA transcripts, encompassing 806,158 exons, 743,910 introns, 651,148 coding sequences (CDS), and 135,622 untranslated regions (UTR). The T2T-level chromosome-scale goose genome assembly provides a vital foundation for future genetic improvement and understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying important traits in geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year in the United States, fall‐winter (sport) harvests of goose species are estimated from federal surveys coordinated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, including the Migratory Bird Harvest Survey to estimate total goose harvest and the Parts Collection Survey (PCS) to estimate the species and age composition. For the PCS, randomly selected hunters collect tail and wing feathers of each goose shot during the hunting season, and then biologists determine the age class and species of each sample at organized events (Wingbees) in each of the 4 flyways (Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic). For similarly colored goose species, cackling (Branta hutchinsii) versus Canada (B. canadensis) geese (dark geese) and Ross's (Anser rossii) versus snow (A. caerulescens) geese (light geese), different protocols evolved among Wingbees to differentiate samples into groupings of management interest, leading to difficulties in estimating species‐level harvests among the 4 flyways or nationally. We conducted a study among the United States flyways during 2019–2022 to derive thresholds of central tail feather length to discriminate between dark geese and between light geese. We compared morphological‐ and genetic‐based approaches. There was support for 2 distinct mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades in dark and light geese, but only dark goose clades corresponded with central tail feather lengths (morphological size and species identification). Derived thresholds for central tail feather lengths of dark geese in the 3 westernmost flyways using genetic‐based species' discrimination were 145 mm for adults and 134 mm for juveniles, approximately 13 mm and 9 mm less, respectively, than thresholds using morphological‐based species' discrimination. There was limited ability to discriminate light geese based on either mtDNA or central tail feather lengths. We suggest managers use our derived thresholds based on genetic‐based species' discrimination to classify dark goose PCS samples. More advanced genome analyses should be conducted before changing current Wingbee protocols for light geese. Lastly, we encourage more studies to incorporate genetic analyses to complement morphological discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human‐modified landscapes have created opportunities for numerous taxa. Agricultural expansion has proven advantageous for several Arctic‐breeding goose species, leading to increased abundance and intensified conflict with farmers. Shooting is frequently implemented as a mitigation strategy to control population and via scaring to alter the spatial distribution of conflict species. However, the efficacy of such regimes in manipulating the fear landscape is not always investigated.We developed resource selection functions using GPS‐tracking data for Greenland barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) wintering on Islay, Scotland to assess foraging site choice. We assessed overall foraging site preference and evaluated the influence of shooting management on foraging site selection of key habitats.Barnacle geese selected for improved grassland areas and the likelihood of utilisation varied between these fields according to field‐specific management. Protected areas were strongly selected for along with newly reseeded grassland. Field‐level exposure to shooting disturbance did not cause a notable change in site selection.Synthesis and Applications: Our results demonstrate the importance of providing refuges within managed agricultural landscapes to encourage site use and minimise conflict. We highlight how low‐intensity shooting disturbance may be ineffective in altering winter habitat selection of high‐value foraging sites (especially near roosts). If future management aimed to stimulate redistribution, higher intensity shooting disturbance along with the spatial and temporal coordination of shooting effort would likely be required to create a stronger perceived gradient of disturbance risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research documented comprehensive information on the socio-economic characteristics of geese rearing in Oyo State of Nigeria in Africa. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study. Quantitative data were collected using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The study population was geese farmers across the selected local governments in Oyo State. Findings revealed that out of the geese farmers interviewed, most (88.1%) were Yoruba tribe and males (78.3%), while 21.7% were females. More than half of the geese farmers (53.3%) were between 40 and 49 years old and had obtained tertiary education (33.3%). Most of the geese farmers (57.4%) acknowledged they recorded the weight of their male and female geese regularly while 73.7% acknowledged they regulated the light made available for the geese. Many of the interviewed farmers (55.6 %) also reported that they faced challenges during geese reproduction. Respondents’ opinions on the major constraints faced in geese production revealed that theft of geese and low profit remain the prime constraints faced while engaging in geese production. This was followed by a Reptile attack, then a high mortality rate. Production taboo and consumption taboo were the fifth and sixth weighted constraints, respectively. It was concluded that geese are raised mostly by male farmers on free range. The greatest constraint for geese farmers were theft and low profit. Geese farmers must therefore improve their production strategies to increase the performance of reared geese and maximize profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2017, an infectious goose gout disease characterized by urate precipitation in viscera, mainly caused by novel goose astrovirus (GoAstV) infection, has emerged in the main goose-producing region of China. The current challenge in managing goose gout disease is largely due to the absence of a rapid and efficient detection method for the GoAstV pathogen. Notably, the potential application of immunosensors in detecting GoAstV has not yet been explored. Herein, a label-free PEC immunosensor was fabricated by using purchased TiO2 as the photoactive material and antibody against GoAstV P2 proteins as the specific recognition element. First, we successfully expressed the capsid spike domain P2 protein of ORF2 from GoAstV CHSH01 by using the pET prokaryotic expression system. Meanwhile, the polyclonal antibody against GoAstV capsid P2 protein was produced by purified protein. To our knowledge, this is the first establishment and preliminary application of the label-free photoelectrochemical immunosensor method in the detection of AstV. The PEC immunosensor had a linear range of 1.83 fg mL−1 to 3.02 ng mL−1, and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.61 fg mL−1. This immunosensor exhibited high sensitivity, great specificity, and good stability in detecting GoAstV P2 proteins. To evaluate the practical application of the immunosensor in real-world sample detection, allantoic fluid from goose embryos was collected as test samples. The results indicated that of the eight positive samples, one false negative result was detected, while both negative samples were accurately detected, suggesting that the constructed PEC immunosensor had good applicability and practical application value, providing a platform for the qualitative detection of GoAstV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the occurrence of the species Anserindicus, also known as bar headed goose, from a freshwater pitlake of Eastern Coal Fields, India. This species is a widespread winter visitor species in India and is categorized as least concern and is native to countries including Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. Habitat of Anserindicus includes freshwater wetlands, rocky areas, and artificial/aquatic and marine areas.

Colibacillosis caused by Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), including peritonitis, respiratory tract inflammation and ovaritis, is recognized as one of the most common and economically destructive bacterial diseases in poultry worldwide. In this study, the characteristics and inhibitory potential of phages were investigated by double-layer plate method, transmission electron microscopy, whole genome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and animal experiments. The results showed that phages C-3 and G21-7 isolated from sewage around goose farms infected multiple O serogroups (O1, O2, O18, O78, O157, O26, O145, O178, O103 and O104) Escherichia coli (E.coli) with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 and 1, respectively. According to the one-step growth curve, the incubation time of both bacteriophage C-3 and G21-7 was 10 min. Sensitivity tests confirmed that C-3 and G21-6 are stable at 4 to 50 °C and pH in the range of 4 to 11. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis, phages C-3 and G21-7 belong to Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) phage species of the genus Saphexavirus of Herelleviridae family. According to genomic analysis, phage C-3 and G21-7 were 58,097 bp and 57,339 bp in size, respectively, with G+C content of 39.91% and 39.99%, encoding proteins of 97 CDS (105 to 3,993 bp) and 96 CDS (105 to 3,993 bp), and both contained 2 tRNAs. Both phages contained two tail proteins and holinendolysin system coding genes, and neither carried resistance genes nor virulence factors. Phage mixture has a good safety profile and has shown good survival probability and feed efficiency in both treatment and prophylaxis experiments with one-day-old goslings. These results suggest that phage C-3 and G21-7 can be used as potential antimicrobials for the prevention and treatment of APEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among avian species, particularly those with altricial young, life‐history strategies are characterized by a 'slow' pace‐of‐life at lower latitudes, where relatively low annual investments in reproduction are traded‐off for increased survival. Evidence for this pattern in precocial species, however, is equivocal, and questions about ecological drivers of latitudinal variation in reproduction remain. To better understand spatial variation in pace‐of‐life and related reproductive traits across bird species and to test a hypothesis that might explain observed spatial patterns, we analysed breeding data from closely related Canada Geese Branta canadensis and Cackling Geese Branta hutchinsii, hereafter Canada‐type geese, comprising eight sub‐species from 16 sites across a broad gradient of latitude (32°N to 69°N) and season length. Unlike the pattern reported for many altricial species, Canada‐type geese did not show reduced annual fecundity at lower latitudes, and instead this reduced reproductive investment was at higher latitudes. For three of five reproductive traits, the relative influence of growing season length (GSL; an index of the time available to breed) was greater than that of latitude. A shorter GSL resulted in later nest initiations, shorter pre‐laying intervals and higher seasonal rates of clutch size decline. Our results suggest that these and other species of geese are able to circumvent nutritional and temporal constraints imposed by shorter GSL by storing and using nutrient reserves for egg laying and incubation. Relative flexibility in reproductive traits may permit Canada‐type geese to accommodate predicted increases in climatic variability, compared to species with more rigid reproductive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress (HS) induces various physiological disorders in poultry, negatively impacting feed intake, feed efficiency, and growth performance. Considering the documented anti-stress and growth-promoting benefits of monochromatic green light in poultry, we aimed to investigate its effects on cyclic chronic HS-induced oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation in geese. We established three treatment groups—geese exposed to white light (W), white light with HS treatment (WH), and green light with HS treatment (GH)—treated over a six-week period with daily HS sessions. The results revealed that cyclic chronic HS induced liver OS and inflammation, leading to hepatocellular injury and reduced growth performance and feed intake. In comparison, the growth performance of geese under green light significantly improved. Additionally, liver index, serum, liver malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were reduced. Serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), liver catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were enhanced, reducing hepatic OS and inflammation. Liver transcriptomic analysis indicated that green light alleviates cyclic chronic HS-induced liver injury and promotes geese growth performance by suppressing NF-κB pathway activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry ovary is a preferred target for E. coli and Salmonella infection of tissues, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a critical molecule in infecting the organism and interfering with cell function, invading the ovaries through the cloaca and interfering with progesterone (P4) secretion by follicular granulosa cells (GCs), seriously affecting the health of breeding geese. miRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs with a variety of important regulatory roles. To investigate the mechanism of miR-10a-5p mediated LPS inhibition of progesterone synthesis in goose granulosa cells, Yangzhou geese at peak laying period were selected as experimental animals to verify the expression levels of genes and transcription factors related to progesterone synthesis. In this study, bioinformatic predictions identifiedmiR-10a-5p target gene CYP11A1, and genes and transcription factors related to the sex steroid hormone secretion pathway were screened. We detected that LPS inhibited CYP11A1 expression while increasing miR-10a-5p expression in vivo. Progesterone decreased significantly in goose granulosa cells treatment with 1µg/mL LPS for 24 h, while progesterone-related genes and regulatory factors were also suppressed. We also determined that the downregulation of miR-10a-5p led to CYP11A1 expression. Overexpression of miR-10a-5p suppressed LPS-induced CYP11A1 expression, resulting in decreased progesterone secretion. Our findings indicated that miR-10a-5p was up-regulated by LPS and inhibited progesterone synthesis by down-regulating CYP11A1. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanisms regulating geese reproduction and ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a gradual transition from water to dryland rearing of geese. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA sequencing (16S rRNA-seq) and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to reveal the effects of cage rearing (CR) and floor rearing (FR) systems on the microbial composition and transcriptome of the goose ileum. Through 16S rRNA-seq, Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis identified 2 (hgcI_clade and Faecalibacterium) and 14 (Bacteroides, Proteiniphilum, Proteiniclasticum, etc.) differential microbiota in CR and FR, respectively. The rearing system influenced 4 pathways including biosynthesis of amino acids in ileal microbiota. Moreover, we identified 1,198 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ileum mucosa, with 957 genes up-regulated in CR and 241 genes up-regulated in FR. In CR, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed the significant enrichment (p < 0.05) of 28 KEGG pathways, most of which were associated with amino acid metabolism. In FR, up-regulated DEGs were mainly enriched in KEGG pathways associated with cellular processes, including apoptosis, necroptosis, and cellular senescence. Spearman correlation analysis of differential microbiota and amino acid metabolism-related DEGs in CR showed a significant positive correlation. Additionally, differential microbiota of FR, Phascolarctobacterium and Sutterella, were positively correlated with FGF10 (p < 0.05) and PIK3R1 (p <0.01), respectively. In conclusion, there might be differences in ileal amino acid metabolism levels between CR and FR geese, and the observed increase in harmful bacterial species in FR might impact the activity of ileal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The gut microbiota plays important roles for maintaining the health of the host. In this study, the results revealed significant differences in the gut bacterial communities among bean geese, hooded cranes, and domestic geese. In comparison to domestic geese, the gut bacterial community of bean geese and hooded cranes had a greater capacity for energy metabolism, suggesting that wild birds may rely more on their gut microbiota to survive in cold conditions. Furthermore, pathogens were discovered to overlap among the three hosts, reminding us to monitor the potential for pathogen transmission between poultry and wild birds. Hooded cranes showed the highest diversity and relative abundance of pathogens compared to the other two species. Due to its vulnerable status, more focus should be paid to the protection of the hooded crane species. These findings could help us gain a deeper understanding of the structure of gut bacterial and pathogenic communities in poultry and wild birds. The host's physiological well-being is intricately associated with the gut microbiota. However, previous studies regarding the intestinal microbiota have focused on domesticated or captive birds. This study used high-throughput sequencing technology to identify the gut bacterial communities of sympatric bean geese, hooded cranes, and domestic geese. The results indicated that the gut bacterial diversity in domestic geese and hooded cranes showed considerably higher diversity than bean geese. The gut bacterial community compositions varied significantly among the three hosts (p < 0.05). Compared to the hooded crane, the bean goose and domestic goose were more similar in their genotype and evolutionary history, with less difference in the bacterial community composition and assembly processes between the two species. Thus, the results might support the crucial role of host genotypes on their gut microbiota. The gut bacteria of wild hooded cranes and bean geese had a greater capacity for energy metabolism compared to domestic geese, suggesting that wild birds may rely more on their gut microbiota to survive in cold conditions. Moreover, the intestines of the three hosts were identified as harboring potential pathogens. The relative abundance of pathogens was higher in the hooded crane compared to the other two species. The hooded crane gut bacterial community assemblage revealed the least deterministic process with the lowest filtering/selection on the gut microbiota, which might have been a reason for the highest number of pathogens result. Compared to the hooded crane, the sympatric bean goose showed the least diversity and relative abundance of pathogens. The intestinal bacterial co-occurrence network showed the highest stability in the bean goose, potentially enhancing host resistance to adverse environments and reducing the susceptibility to pathogen invasion. In this study, the pathogens were also discovered to overlap among the three hosts, reminding us to monitor the potential for pathogen transmission between poultry and wild birds. Overall, the current findings have the potential to enhance the understanding of gut bacterial and pathogenic community structures in poultry and wild birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outbreaks of fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) infection with the main clinical signs of hepatitis-hydropericardium-syndrome or inclusion body hepatitis have been frequently reported in ducks and geese in recent years, causing economic losses for the Chinese waterfowl industry. This study investigated 792 samples (391 fattening ducks, 192 breeder ducks and 209 fattening geese) of suspected FAdV-infected waterfowl from 38 farms (21 fattening duck farms, nine breeder duck farms and eight fattening geese farms) in Shandong Province between 2019 and 2022. The results showed a 60.23% infection rate for FAdVs (477/792), while the infection rate for breeder ducks was almost the same as that for fattening geese (55.73% vs. 54.55%). Notably, co-infection with avian influenza virus H9N2 (H9N2), Tembusu virus (TMUV), duck hepatitis virus (DHV), duck circovirus (DuCV), goose astrovirus (GAstV) and duck parvovirus (DPV)/goose parvovirus (GPV) was common among the 477 FAdVs positive cases. Phylogenetic analysis of complete hexon genes of 22 FAdV strains in Shandong Province showed the presence of four species (FAdV-A, C, D, E) and five serotypes (FAdV-1, 4, 8a, 8b, 11). These findings provide the first data on the prevalence and co-infection status of FAdVs in Shandong Province and can be used as a basis for FAdV prevention in the field. Samples of suspected FAdV-infected waterfowl from farms in Shandong Province were collected from 2019 to 2022. Single infections with FAdV were less frequent than mixed infections. 477 out of 792 samples (60.23%) tested positive for FAdV nucleic acids. Detection rate of FAdV was 65.47% in fattening duck farms, 55.73% in breeder duck farms and 54.55% in fattening geese farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]