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ABSTRACT: Goose creates important economic value depending on their enrich nutrients of meat. Our previous study investigates potential candidate genes associated with variations in meat quality between Xianghai Flying (XHF) Goose and Zi Goose through genomic and transcriptome integrated analysis. Screening of 5 differential expression candidate genes related to muscle development identified by the FST, XP-EHH and RNA-seq in breast muscle from various geese. Among them, C1QTNF1 (C1q and TNF related protein 1), a gene of unknown function in goose, which observed mutations in coding sequence regions in sequencing data. Its function was explored after overexpression and knockdown which designed depending on the genetic sequence of the goose, respectively. Results showed that over-expression of C1QTNF1 significantly enhances cell proliferation and viability. In addition, the expression levels of the fusion marker gene Myomaker and the differentiation marker gene MyoD are significantly upregulated in cells. Knock-down C1QTNF1 leads to down regulated Myomaker and MyoD which involved muscle formation. But, the expression level of muscle atrophy marker MuRF is not significantly changed among different transfection groups. Since protein structures and interactions are closely related to their functions, we further analyzed the C1QTNF1 for physicochemical properties, structural predictions, protein interactions and homology. It can be reasonably inferred that C1QTNF1 has a similar effect to collagen, which may affect muscle development. In summary, we first speculate that C1QTNF1 may play an important regulatory role in muscle growth and development and thereby contributes to the further understanding of the genetic mechanisms that underlie meat quality traits of goose.

ABSTRACT: We aimed to determine the onset time of hypophosphatemic rickets and investigate the mechanism of motility impairment through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in goslings. Two hundred and sixteen 1-day-old male Jiangnan white geese were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 6 replicates and 12 geese per replicate. Birds were fed on 3 diets: a control diet (nonphytic phosphorus, NPP, 0.38%), a P-deficient diet (PD; NPP, 0.08%), and a high P diet (HP; NPP, 0.80%) for 14 d. Subsequently, all birds were shifted to the control diet for an additional 14 d. The cumulative incidence of lameness increased significantly (P < 0.01) starting on d 4, reaching over 80% on d 7 and 100% on d 12 in the PD group. Drinking and eating frequency decreased from d 4 and d 5, respectively, in the PD group compared to the other groups (most P < 0.01). The PD group exhibited shorter and narrower beaks, higher (worse) curvature scores of the beak and costochondral junctions, swelling caput costae, and dirtier feathers since d 4, in contrast to the control and HP groups (most P < 0.01). The HP had bigger (P < 0.05) beak and sternum sizes than the control groups on d 4 to 11. Leg muscle ATP levels were lower (P < 0.01 or 0.05) on d 4 to 11; in contrast, adenosine diphosphate (d 7–11) was higher in PD compared to the control (P < 0.05). Leg muscle ATP level had positive linear (R2 > 0.40) correlations (r > 0.60) with eating and drinking frequencies on d 7 and 11 (P < 0.01). Bone stiffness, feather cleanliness, and ATP levels recovered (P > 0.05) to the control level, whereas bone size did not recover (P < 0.05) in PD and HP after eating the control diet for 2 wk. The onset time of hypophosphatemic rickets was around 4 d in goslings, and insufficient leg muscle ATP was related to the impaired motility observed in early P-deficient geese.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin K3 (VK3) supplementation on production performance, egg quality, vitamin K-dependent proteins, and antioxidant properties in breeding geese during the laying period. A total of one hundred twenty 82-wk-old Wulong geese with similar body weights were randomly divided into 6 groups with 4 replicates and 5 geese each (1 male and 4 female). The geese in the control group were fed a basal diet, and the geese in the treatment groups were fed diets supplemented with different levels of VK3 (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 mg/kg) for 11 wk. Dietary VK3 supplementation linearly and quadratically increased feed intake, egg mass, egg weight, and egg production (P < 0.05). Increasing VK3 levels linearly and quadratically increased albumen height, shell thickness and Haugh unit of eggs (P < 0.05). VK3 reduced osteocalcin (OC) and uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) levels in the serum. Dietary VK3 addition linearly decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P < 0.01). There was linear and quadratic effect in the activity of serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) (P < 0.01), and linear effect in serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, dietary VK3 supplementation enhanced the production performance, egg quality, vitamin K-dependent proteins, and antioxidant properties in breeding geese during the laying period. The optimal dose of dietary VK3 supplementation was 10.0 mg/kg.

ABSTRACT: This research aimed to investigate the effects of drinking water temperatures on growth performance, water consumption, surface temperature, organ indices, blood parameters, and intestinal development of geese, and determine the optimal drinking water temperature for 21 to 49-d geese. A total of 192 twenty-one-day male Yuzhou white geese were allocated randomly to 4 groups with 8 replicate pens per group according to the drinking water temperature (drinking water temperature [7℃–12℃] at ambient temperature [TC], 18℃ [T1], 27℃ [T2], and 36℃ [T3], respectively). The results showed that increasing drinking water temperature did not significantly improve the BW, ADG, and ADFI of geese (P > 0.05), whereas drinking warm water of 36℃ for geese had a trend to increase FCR (0.05 < P < 0.1). Geese in group T2 drank the most water per day on average, whereas geese in group TC drank the least (P < 0.001). Geese in groups T1, T2, and T3 had higher eyes temperatures than group TC (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found on the organ indices and blood biochemical parameters (P > 0.05). Geese from group T1 had higher crypt depth and muscularis thickness of duodenum (P < 0.05), and lower ratio of villus height to crypt depth than other groups (P < 0.001). Geese from group T1 had higher activities of trypsin in duodenum and jejuna and amylase in jejuna at 49 d than other groups (P < 0.01). Overall, these data indicate drinking water at 18℃ can increase water consumption and eyes temperature, and improve the activity of digestive enzymes and promote intestinal development. Under our experimental conditions, we recommend that the optimal drinking water temperature for geese from 21 to 49 d of age is 18°C.

ABSTRACT: This experiment investigated the effects of different dietary starch sources on the growth and glucose metabolism of geese. A total of 240 healthy 35-day-old male geese were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups, with 6 replicates per group and 10 geese per replicate. Four types of diets were prepared, with glutinous rice (rapidly-digestible starch), corn, indica rice and high amylose as their starch sources, and fed for 28 d. Results showed that after consuming different feeds, the blood glucose of geese first increased and then decreased, reaching its maximum value 0.5 h after feeding, and there were significant differences between the groups (P < 0.05). The body weight of the corn and indica rice group geese at 63 d was higher than that of the high amylose group (P < 0.05). The serum total cholesterol (TCHO) content in the glutinous rice and corn groups was higher than in the high amylose group (P < 0.05). The serum insulin content in the glutinous rice group was lower than in the corn and high amylose groups (P < 0.05), while the glucagon content was higher (P < 0.05). The α-amylase activities of the pancreas, jejunal chyme, and jejunal mucosa in the glutinous rice group were higher than in the indica rice and high amylose groups (P < 0.05). The liver glycogen content in the glutinous rice group was higher than the other groups (P < 0.05). The liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) content in the glutinous rice group was higher than the high amylose group's (P < 0.05), but the glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK-3β) content was lower (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the corn and indica rice diets had a positive effect on the growth performance of the geese, while the high amylose diet had a negative effect. The glutinous rice diet leads to rapid release of glucose, strengthening glucose metabolism pathways such as glycogen synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway, and further influencing lipid metabolism.

ABSTRACT: The investigation aimed to explore the suitable amino acid (AA) supplementation pattern for goslings under low-protein diets. A total of 364 1-day-old male goslings were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups, with 7 pens containing 13 goslings each. The 4 groups were control (CP, 18.55%), LPM (CP, 15.55% + major AA), LPA (CP, 15.55% + all AA), and LPR (CP, 15.55% + AA content reduced proportionally to the control's CP). The corn-soybean meal diets are formulated according to the ideal AA model of goose and its nutritional requirements. The results indicated that the ADG and BW were the lowest, and the F: G was the highest in LPR (P < 0.05); the other three groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The ADFI and mortality were not different among all the groups (P > 0.05). Among the AA content in serum and breast muscle, lysine in serum significantly decreased compared with the control (P < 0.05). The UREA content was approximately 2-fold higher in the LPR group than in the LPM and LPA groups (P < 0.05). No difference in IgA, IgG, IgM, and IgE levels was observed among the groups (P > 0.05). The nitrogen excretion was decreased in LPM and LPA compared to the control and LPR (P < 0.05). Nitrogen deposition did not differ among groups (P > 0.05). Nitrogen utilization was highest in the LPA and LPM groups, followed by the control group and LPR (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the patterns of supplementation of major AA and all AA in low-protein diets (CP, 15.55%) had no adverse effect on the growth performance compared with the control (CP, 18.55%) of the goslings. Besides, the two patterns could decrease nitrogen excretion and increase nitrogen utilization. Furthermore, from the perspective of dietary cost and environmental protection, the pattern of supplementing major AA in a corn-soybean meal low-protein diet is suggested.

To explore the differences in foie gras performance between geese raised in cages and on the ground, we conducted an integrative analysis of liver transcriptome and gut microbial metagenomes. The results showed extremely significant differences in the liver weight (P < 0.01) and liver lipid accumulation of FRS and CRS groups. The levels of triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of CRS were significantly higher than those of FRS (P < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis showed that 3,917 upregulated and 1,395 downregulated genes were identified, and lipid metabolism pathway and fatty acid metabolism were significantly enriched. Analysis of cecum microbiota revealed that several inflammation-related bacteria (including Gallibacterium, Escherichia-Shigella, Desulfovibrio, Alistipes, and Fournierella) were enriched in CRS, while beneficial bacteria (including Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, and Ligilactobacillus) were significantly enriched in FRS. In conclusion, CRS was better than FRS in foie gras production, which was more conducive to lipid deposition in the goose liver., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES No conflict of interest exits in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors for publication. I would like to declare on behalf of my co-authors that the work described was original research that has not been published previously, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. All authors are in agreement with the content of the manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Outbreaks of short beak and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS), caused by a novel goose parvovirus (NGPV), have occurred in China since 2015. The NGPV, a single-stranded DNA virus, is thought to be vertically transmitted. However, the mechanism of NGPV immune evasion remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of NGPV infection on the Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway in duck embryonic fibroblast (DEF) cells. Our findings demonstrate that NGPV infection stimulates the mRNA expression of cGAS but results in weak IFN-β induction. NGPV impedes the expression of IFN-β and downstream interferon-stimulated genes, thereby reducing the secretion of IFN-β induced by interferon-stimulating DNA (ISD) and poly (I: C). RNA-seq results show that NGPV infection downregulates interferon mRNA expression while enhancing the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors. Additionally, the results of viral protein over-expression indicate that VP1 exhibits a remarkable ability to inhibit IFN-β expression compared to other viral proteins. Results indicated that only the intact VP1 protein could inhibit the expression of IFN-β, while the truncated proteins VP1U and VP2 do not possess such characteristics. The immunoprecipitation experiment showed that both VP1 and VP2 could interact with IRF7 protein, while VP1U does not. In summary, our findings indicate that NGPV infection impairs the host's innate immune response by potentially modulating the expression and secretion of interferons and interferon-stimulating factors via IRF7 molecules, which are regulated by the VP1 protein., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES We certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to assess the hatchability of goslings from parent flocks of geese in 4 laying seasons and to analyze the growth, carcass, and muscles characteristics. The hatching eggs from the White Kołuda geese from the 1st to 4th laying season were incubated by the waterfowl hatching technology. Hatchability rates were calculated. 40 goslings were selected from each group. The geese were reared and fattened for 16 wk, (sex ratio of 1:1). From the 1-day-old goslings and at the end of the fattening period, the pectoral muscles were sampled to evaluate the muscle fibers. The body weight of the geese and the growth rate were analyzed. Body measurements were taken on the day of slaughter (6 birds/each group). The dissection was performed and the tissue composition of the carcasses was analyzed, including the percentage of carcass elements. The results were analyzed in terms of the age of the parent flock and the sex of oat geese. Hatchability performance was similar in all groups. Lower body weight of geese from group I was demonstrated at 0, 1, 7, 10 to 12 wk compared to birds from older geese. The growth rate in this group was higher than in groups III (2nd wk) and IV (1st wk). From 4 wkof age, the males had a higher body weight. In 1-day-old male goslings, a higher diameter of muscle fibers was demonstrated than in females. The body measurements of ganders were significantly higher compared to females, except for the length of the jump. Males were characterized by a higher weight of carcass parts. However, the share of abdominal fat was higher in females. No significant differences were found in the remaining features. Geese from different ages’ parent flocks don't differ in the carcass features (the compensation phenomenon). The sex of the geese was influenced. It is reasonable to hatch goslings for fattening from parent flocks during 4 years of reproductive use.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding frequency on growth performance, carcass traits, and apparent nutrient digestibility in geese from 28 to 70 D of age. In experiment 1, a total of 240 geese were distributed in a completely randomized design into 4 treatments and 6 replicates of 10 birds each. The treatments were free access to the feeder (ad libitum) and access to the feeder 3, 4, and 5 times daily. Geese fed 3 times daily had a lower (P < 0.05) BW, ADG, and ADFI and a higher (P = 0.064) feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 28 to 41 D of age compared with the other groups. Geese fed 4 times daily had a higher (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI and a lower (P < 0.05) FCR from 42 to 55 D of age compared with ad libitum fed geese. Geese fed 3 times daily had a higher (P < 0.05) ADG from 56 to 69 D of age than geese fed ad libitum and 4 times daily. No differences (P > 0.05) in BW, ADFI, ADG, and FCR were observed between ad libitum and feeding frequency groups from 28 to 69 D of age. Carcass traits and gastrointestinal development were not affected (P > 0.05) by feeding frequency. In experiment 2, the apparent nutrient digestibility in geese from 71 to 77 D of age fed using different feeding frequencies was determined using the total fecal collection method. Feeding frequency did not affect (P > 0.05) the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, crude ash, calcium, phosphorous, or ether extract in geese. Our study demonstrates for the first time that compensatory growth can be gained by enhancing feed intake when a lower feeding frequency is imposed on geese. Both ad libitum feeding and fixed feeding frequency for 3 to 5 times daily are suitable for geese from 28 to 70 D of age to achieve optimum production.

The aim of the study was to determine slaughter yield and meat quality of native Zatorska (ZG) goose and compare them to those of commercial hybrid White Koluda® goose (WKG) after fattening in an intensive production system. The experiment was carried out on 500 birds of each group and lasted up to 10 wk of age. The birds were kept on deep litter with access to free range and were fed with the same complete feed mixtures, according to dietary requirements for broiler geese. Body weight, carcass composition, and technological properties of breast and thigh muscles were evaluated (pH24, L*a*b* color, water holding capacity, thermal loss, drip loss, and shear force). In addition, chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles, fatty acid profile of muscle lipids, and amino acids of proteins were determined. The body weight, weight of eviscerated carcass, and dressing percentage of ZG were lower (P

ABSTRACT: As the by-product of cassava, cassava foliage (CF) has been widely used in livestock feed. However, little information is available on its utilization for geese. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CF on the feed digestion, meat quality, and antioxidative status of geese. A total of 108 male Hainan indigenous geese (28-days-old) with similar body weight were randomly and evenly divided into 3 groups, and the geese were fed for 42 D on either the control diet (CON) consisting of ground maize, soybean meal, and wheat bran, or the experimental diet composed of ground maize, soybean meal, and wheat bran supplemented with 5% (CF1) or 10% (CF2) CF. Dietary nutrient digestibility, physicochemical properties, amino acid and fatty acid composition of meat, and antioxidative status of geese were evaluated. The results showed that supplementation of CF in goose diets enhanced the feed digestion and affected the meat quality. In addition, supplementation of CF had beneficial effects on the regulation of amino acid and fatty acid profiles in muscle tissues. Moreover, such supplementation had no significant effect on antioxidative status. Taken together, goose diet containing 5% CF was recommended based on feed efficiency and meat quality.

SUMMARY: An excessively high-stocking density can adversely influence performance, health, and welfare of geese. The optimum-stocking density also should be changed with the increase of age and weight in geese. However, the corresponding density parameter is lacking in different feeding phase. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of stocking density on geese from 49 to 70 d of age. Three hundred and sixty 49-d-old female Sichuan white geese were randomly allotted to 6 stocking treatments with 6 replicate pens, stocking densities in each group were 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5 birds/m2. Average daily gain (ADG) was reduced as stocking density increased (P < 0.05), and feed gain ratio (F/G) increased as stocking density increased (P < 0.05). High-stocking density significantly decreased feather cleanliness of geese (P < 0.05). Stocking density did not influence slaughter yield, breast meat, leg meat, subcutaneous fat and skin, and abdominal fat yields at 70 d (P > 0.05). High-stocking density tended to linearly decrease intramuscular fat content of breast meat (P < 0.05), while stocking density did not influence the content of crude protein and amino acids in breast meat (P > 0.05). Based on broken-line linear regression analysis, the stocking density of female Sichuan white geese from 49 to 70 d of age was 3.5 and 3.6 birds/m2 for ADG and F/G, respectively.

SUMMARY: This study seeks to investigate the effect of dry and wet feed on growth performance, carcass traits, and apparent nutrient digestibility in geese from 28 to 70 d of age. In Experiment 1, 120 geese were randomly allotted to 2 treatments with 6 replicate pens of 10 birds per pen. Birds in each group were fed either a dry or wet feed. There was no significant difference between the 2 feeding methods in final body weight and average daily gain (P > 0.05), while wet feed significantly increased (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake and feed intake: gain compared to dry feed. Carcass traits were not affected (P > 0.05) by the form of feed. In Experiment 2, apparent nutrient digestibility of dry and wet feed was determined using the total fecal collection method. The apparent dry matter, crude protein, and ether extract digestibility of geese were not affected (P > 0.05) by wet feed compared to dry feed. In conclusion, wet feed had no effect on daily weight gain but significantly increased daily feed intake and feed intake: gain, implying that dry feed is more suitable for geese from 28 to 70 d of age.

SUMMARY: A high stocking density can have a negatively effect on growth performance, walking ability, and antioxidant capacity of poultry. In geese production, multiple-phase feeding strategy is generally adopted when considering the long raise period for geese. However, the corresponding density parameters are lacking in different growth stages. The aim of this study was to estimate the optimum stocking density of geese from 14 to 28 d of age and 28 to 49 d of age and investigate the effects of stocking density on antioxidant capacity of geese from 28 to 49 d of age. Two trials were used in this study. In experiment 1, a total of 432, 14 d of age female White Sichuan geese were allocated randomly to 6 treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment according to the stocking densities of 4.67, 6.00, 7.33, 8.67, 10.00, and 11.33 birds/m2, respectively. In experiment 2, a total of 324, 28 d of age female White Sichuan geese were allocated randomly to 6 treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment according to the stocking densities of 2.50, 3.75, 5.00, 6.25, 7.50, and 8.75 birds/m2, respectively. With the stocking density increasing, body weight and weight gain decreased linearly or quadratically in experiment 1 (P < 0.05), feed intake decreased quadratically (P < 0.05), and feed/gain ratio (F/G) increased (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, as the stocking density increased, the body weight and weight gain decreased linearly (P < 0.05), while F/G increased linearly (P < 0.05). In addition, the increasing stocking density resulted in that the serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) both decreased linearly (P < 0.05). According to linear broken-line regression, the upper critical stocking density of geese from 14 to 28 d of age for weight gain was 6.15 birds/m2 (or 8.34 kg of actually achieved BW/m2) and it was 4.83 birds/m2 (or 11.4 kg of actually achieved BW/m2) for F/G of geese from 28 to 49 d of age.

Goose creates important economic value depending on their enrich nutrients of meat. Our previous study investigates potential candidate genes associated with variations in meat quality between Xianghai Flying (XHF) Goose and Zi Goose through genomic and transcriptome integrated analysis. Screening of 5 differential expression candidate genes related to muscle development identified by the F ST XP-EHH and RNA-seq in breast muscle from various geese. Among them, C1QTNF1 (C1q and TNF related protein 1), a gene of unknown function in goose, which observed mutations in coding sequence regions in sequencing data. Its function was explored after overexpression and knockdown which designed depending on the genetic sequence of the goose, respectively. Results showed that over-expression of C1QTNF1 significantly enhances cell proliferation and viability. In addition, the expression levels of the fusion marker gene Myomaker and the differentiation marker gene MyoD are significantly upregulated in cells. Knock-down C1QTNF1 leads to down regulated Myomaker and MyoD which involved muscle formation. But, the expression level of muscle atrophy marker MuRF is not significantly changed among different transfection groups. Since protein structures and interactions are closely related to their functions, we further analyzed the C1QTNF1 for physicochemical properties, structural predictions, protein interactions and homology. It can be reasonably inferred that C1QTNF1 has a similar effect to collagen, which may affect muscle development. In summary, we first speculate that C1QTNF1 may play an important regulatory role in muscle growth and development and thereby contributes to the further understanding of the genetic mechanisms that underlie meat quality traits of goose., XP-EHH and RNA-seq in breast muscle from various geese. Among them, C1QTNF1 (C1q and TNF related protein 1), a gene of unknown function in goose, which observed mutations in coding sequence regions in sequencing data. Its function was explored after overexpression and knockdown which designed depending on the genetic sequence of the goose, respectively. Results showed that over-expression of C1QTNF1 significantly enhances cell proliferation and viability. In addition, the expression levels of the fusion marker gene Myomaker and the differentiation marker gene MyoD are significantly upregulated in cells. Knock-down C1QTNF1 leads to down regulated Myomaker and MyoD which involved muscle formation. But, the expression level of muscle atrophy marker MuRF is not significantly changed among different transfection groups. Since protein structures and interactions are closely related to their functions, we further analyzed the C1QTNF1 for physicochemical properties, structural predictions, protein interactions and homology. It can be reasonably inferred that C1QTNF1 has a similar effect to collagen, which may affect muscle development. In summary, we first speculate that C1QTNF1 may play an important regulatory role in muscle growth and development and thereby contributes to the further understanding of the genetic mechanisms that underlie meat quality traits of goose., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Goose astrovirus (GoAstV) is an emerging avian pathogen that induces gout in goslings with a mortality of up to 50%. Organ damage caused by GoAstV infection was considered the cause of gout, but it is still unclear whether other factors are involved. Human and murine studies have linked the gut microbiome-derived urate and gout, thus we hypothesized that gut microbiome may also play an important role in gout induced by GoAstV infection. This study tested the pathogenicity of our isolated GoAstV genotype 2 strain on goslings, while the appearance of clinical signs, histopathological changes, viral distribution and the blood level of cytokines were monitored for 18 d postinfection (dpi). The dynamics in the gut microbiome were profiled by 16S sequencing and then correlated with GoAstV infection. Results showed that this study successfully developed an experimental infection model for studying the pathogenicity of the GoAstV infection which induces typical symptoms of gout. GoAstV infection significantly altered the gut microbiome of goslings with the enrichment of potential proinflammatory bacteria and depletion of beneficial bacteria that can produce short-chain fatty acids. More importantly, the microbial pathway involved in urate production was significantly increased in goslings infected with GoAstV, suggesting that gut microbiome-derived urate may also contribute to the gout symptoms. Overall, this study demonstrated the role of gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of GoAstV infection, highlighting the potential of gut microbiome-based therapeutics against gout symptoms., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a prevalent mycotoxin present in feed ingredients. In this study, we investigated the effects of Lactobacillus salivarius (L. salivarius) on the Landes geese exposed to AFB1. The 300 one-day-old Landes geese were randomly divided into five groups: The control group received a basic diet, while the other groups were fed a basic diet supplemented with 10 μg/kg AFB1, 10 μg/kg AFB1+ 4*10 8 cfu/g L. salivarius, 50 μg/kg AFB1, and 50 μg/kg AFB1 + 4*10 8 cfu/g L. salivarius for 63 d. Results showed that high level AFB1 exposure significantly decreased final BW and ADG, increased feed/gain ratio (F/G) and liver index (P < 0.05). L. salivarius improved levels of IL-1, IL-6, and IL-12 under low level of AFB1 exposure (P < 0.05), along with similar trends observed in serum IgA, IgG, IgM, T3, T4, TNF-ɑ, and EDT (P < 0.05). AFB1 exposure reduced jejunum villus high and villus high/crypt depth ratio, and suppressed expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1 mRNA, and significant improved with L. salivarius supplementation under low level AFB1 exposure (P < 0.05). AFB1 significantly increased expression levels of TLR3 and NF-kB1, with supplementation of L. salivarius showing significant improvement under low AFB1 exposure (P < 0.05). Cecal microbiota sequencing revealed that under low level AFB1 exposure, supplementation with L. salivarius increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Lactococcus. In summary, supplementation with 4*10 8 cfu/g L. salivarius under 10 μg/kg AFB1 exposure improved growth performance and immune capacity, enhanced jejunum morphology, reduced liver inflammation, altered the cecal microbial structure, and positively affected the growth and development of geese., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is commonly found in feed ingredients and foods all over the world, posing a significant threat to food safety and public health in animals and humans. Lactobacillus salivarius (L. salivarius) was recorded to improve the intestinal health and performance of chickens. However, whether L. salivarius can alleviate AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity in geese was unknown. A total of 300 Lande geese were randomly assigned to five groups: control group, AFB1 low-dose group (L), L. salivarius+AFB1 low-dose group (LL), AFB1 high dosage groups (H), L. salivarius+AFB1 high dosage groups (LH), respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of ALT, AST, and GGT significantly increased after exposure to AFB1. Similarly, severe damage of hepatic morphology was observed including the hepatic structure injury and inflammatory cell infiltration. The oxidative stress was evidenced by the elevated concentrations of MDA, and decreased activities of GSH-Px, GSH and SOD. The observation of immunofluorescence, real-time PCR, and western blotting showed that the expression of PINK1 and the value of LC3II/LC3I were increased, but that of p62 significantly decreased after AFB1 exposure. Moreover, the supplementation of L. salivarius effectively improved the geese performance, ameliorated AFB1-induced oxidative stress, inhibited mitochondrial mitophagy and enhanced the liver restoration to normal level. The present study demonstrated that L. salivarius ameliorated AFB1-induced the hepatotoxicity by decreasing the oxidative stress, and regulating the expression of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in the mitochondria of the geese liver. Furthermore, this investigation suggested that L. salivarius might serve as a novel and safe additive for preventing AFB1 contamination in poultry feed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Isolated Bacillus velezensis strain NA16, which produces proteases, amino acids and the transcription levels of different keratinolytic enzymes and disulfide reductase genes in whole gene sequencing, was evaluated during feather degradation. The result shows under optimum fermentation conditions, chicken feather fermentation showed total amino acid concentration of 7599 mg/L, degradation efficiency of 99.3% at 72 h, and protease activity of 1058 U/mL and keratinase activity of 288 U/mL at 48 h. Goose feather fermentation showed total amino acid concentration of 4918 mg/L (96 h), and degradation efficiency was 98.9% at 120 h. Chicken feather fermentation broth at 72 h showed high levels of 17 amino acids, particularly phenylalanine (1050 ± 1.90 mg/L), valine (960 ± 1.04 mg/L), and glutamic (950 ± 3.00 mg/L). Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the essential role of peptide bond cleavage in structural changes and degradation of feathers. Protein purification and zymographic analyses revealed a key role in feather degradation of the 39-kDa protein encoded by gene1031, identified as an S8 family serine peptidase. Whole genome sequencing of NA16 revealed 26 metalloproteinase genes and 22 serine protease genes. Among the proteins, S8 family serine peptidase (gene1031, gene1428) and S9 family peptidase (gene3132) were shown by transcription analysis to play major roles in chicken feather degradation. These findings revealed the transcription levels of different families of keratinolytic enzymes in the degradation of feather keratin by microorganisms, and suggested potential applications of NA16 in feather waste management and amino acid production., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Elucidation on the emulsifying behaviors of goose liver protein (GLP) from interfacial perspective was scarce when protein charging was altered. This work aimed to elucidate the role of phosphorylation on the interfacial associative interaction and then emulsion stabilizing properties of GLP using three structurally relevant phosphates of sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and sodium pyrophosphate (TSPP). A monotonic increment of protein charging treated from STMP, STPP to TSPP caused progressively increased particle de-aggregation, surface hydrophobicity and structural flexibility of GLP. Compared with STMP and TSPP, STPP phosphorylation rendered the most strengthened interfacial equilibrium pressure (11.98 ± 0.24 mN/m) due to sufficient unfolding but moderated charging character conveyed. Desorption curve and interfacial protein microstructure indicated that STPP phosphorylation caused the highest interfacial connectivity between proteins adsorbed onto the same droplet, as was also verified by interfacial elastic modulus (10.3 ± 0.21 mN/m). STPP treated GLP also yielded lowest droplet size (8.16 ± 0.10 μm), flocculation (8.18%) and Turbiscan stability index (8.78 ± 0.36) of emulsion but most improved microrheological properties. Overall, phosphorylation functioned itself in fortifying the intradroplet protein-protein interaction but restraining the interdroplet aggregation, and STPP phosphorylation endowed the protein with most enhanced interfacial stabilization and emulsifying efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We aimed to determine the onset time of hypophosphatemic rickets and investigate the mechanism of motility impairment through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in goslings. Two hundred and sixteen 1-day-old male Jiangnan white geese were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 6 replicates and 12 geese per replicate. Birds were fed on 3 diets: a control diet (nonphytic phosphorus, NPP, 0.38%), a P-deficient diet (PD; NPP, 0.08%), and a high P diet (HP; NPP, 0.80%) for 14 d. Subsequently, all birds were shifted to the control diet for an additional 14 d. The cumulative incidence of lameness increased significantly (P < 0.01) starting on d 4, reaching over 80% on d 7 and 100% on d 12 in the PD group. Drinking and eating frequency decreased from d 4 and d 5, respectively, in the PD group compared to the other groups (most P < 0.01). The PD group exhibited shorter and narrower beaks, higher (worse) curvature scores of the beak and costochondral junctions, swelling caput costae, and dirtier feathers since d 4, in contrast to the control and HP groups (most P < 0.01). The HP had bigger (P < 0.05) beak and sternum sizes than the control groups on d 4 to 11. Leg muscle ATP levels were lower (P < 0.01 or 0.05) on d 4 to 11; in contrast, adenosine diphosphate (d 7-11) was higher in PD compared to the control (P < 0.05). Leg muscle ATP level had positive linear (R 2 > 0.40) correlations (r > 0.60) with eating and drinking frequencies on d 7 and 11 (P < 0.01). Bone stiffness, feather cleanliness, and ATP levels recovered (P > 0.05) to the control level, whereas bone size did not recover (P < 0.05) in PD and HP after eating the control diet for 2 wk. The onset time of hypophosphatemic rickets was around 4 d in goslings, and insufficient leg muscle ATP was related to the impaired motility observed in early P-deficient geese., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

ABSTRACT: Supplementation of betaine in the diet appears to regulate fatty acid metabolism and decrease fat deposition. This study aims to identify the effects of dietary supplementation of betaine on zootechnical performance, fatty acid synthesis, abdominal fat deposition, and morphology. Three hundred healthy, male, one-day-old Jiangnan White geese of similar body weight were randomly divided into 5 groups, with 6 replicates per treatment and 10 geese per replicate, and given the following amounts of supplementary betaine: 0 (group A), 600 mg/kg (group B), 1,200 mg/kg (group C), 1,800 mg/kg (group D), or 2,400 mg/kg (group E). Feed intake (FI), body weight (BW), abdominal fat and sebum thickness, clinical blood parameters, hepatic enzyme activity, and abdominal fat morphology were monitored during the experiment. All geese had free access to feed and water throughout the study. Our results indicate that supplementation of betaine increased zootechnical performance at 21 and 42 d of age. The percentage of abdominal fat and sebum thickness of geese at 63 d of age decreased linearly with the addition of betaine (P < 0.05). The triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TCHOL) content of serum decreased with the increased level of betaine when measured at 63 d of age (P

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of various types of heat processing used by consumers (water bath cooking WBC, oven convection roasting OCR, grilling G, pan frying PF) on the energy and the nutritional value of goose breast meat (with and without skin). The material used in the study comprised 72 breast muscles cut from carcasses of 17-wk-old White Koluda geese. The energy value (MJ), the chemical composition (water, fat, protein, ash) and mineral composition (phosphorus P, sodium Na, calcium Ca, potassium K, magnesium Mg, iron Fe, zinc Zn, cooper Cu, manganese Mn) were determined in both raw and thermally processed muscles. It has been concluded that various methods of heat processing have a significant impact on the energy and nutritional values of meat. From a dietary point of view, the most beneficial was OCR meat without skin, and WBC, OCR, PF meat with skin as well, since it had the lowest energy value as well as content and retention of fat, phosphorus, and sodium. However, as for the content of the other minerals and their retention, WBC seems to be the optimal form of heat treatment of skinless muscles. 100 g of such meat provides 3.1; 33.7; 145; 180 and 9% Nutrient Reference Values-Requirements (NRVs-R) for Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Mn respectively in a diet of an adult person. As for meat with skin, the optimal method of heat processing to retain minerals is grilling. 100 g of meat processed in this way provides 3.9; 39.7; 125.7; 175; 6 and 12.7% NRVs-R of Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Mn. It follows from the above information that goose breast meat, as analyzed here, cannot be considered as a source of calcium since it provides less than 4% of NRVs-R. The results of the study will be useful for the consumers’ nutritional choices. The geese breast meat, depending on the heat processing used and the content of skin, may be a valuable component of a varied diet, providing nutrients and minerals.

SUMMARY: Although many studies have attempted to determine the effect of goose age on egg weight, the relationship remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of the relevant literature in an attempt to provide clarity on this question. We found that goose egg weight changes with age and that he greatest amount of yolk is produced following the second laying season, after which laying performance tends to decline. However, there was considerable heterogeneity among research study results that appears to be caused by ad libitum feed consumption. Interestingly, there have been no studies on the correlation between goose yolk weight and uterine secretions. These parameters change with age and can be easily evaluated through measurements of goose egg component weight in different laying seasons. Following the meta-analysis, we hypothesize that estrogen is a key factor in determining egg weight. Our findings suggest that poultry farms can adjust feed formulations and the duration of light exposure as geese age to optimize egg production. Estrogen concentrations may also be adjusted through diet supplementation as geese age to increase their productive lifespans.

ABSTRACT: The present study investigated the effect of different dietary levels of calcium (Ca) and non-phytate phosphorus (P) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and blood components of growing geese. A total of 120, 4-wk-old Egyptian goslings with similar body weights were randomly distributed to four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, which included 2 levels of Ca (0.85% and 0.70%) and 2 levels of non-phytate P (0.45% and 0.35%). Each group was subdivided into 6 replicates of five birds. The experiment lasted 8 wk, from 4 to 12 wk of age. Results show that dietary Ca level had no significant effect on any of the studied growth performance traits over the full experimental period. Dietary P level also had no significant impact on these traits, with the exception of daily body weight gain and feed conversion ratio at 8 to 12 wk of age; these improved significantly with the low P diet. Geese received a diet containing 0.70% Ca + 0.45% P had the lowest body weight values at 12 wk of age and the lowest daily body weight gain, and feed intake at 8 to 12 weeks of age. While, the lowest value of feed conversion ratio was recorded in geese fed low level of Ca with low level of P (0.70% Ca + 0.35% P). There were no significant effects of the different dietary levels of Ca, P, or their interaction on all studied carcass parameters. Low dietary Ca level significantly increased the plasma levels of total protein, albumin, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and creatinine and significantly decreased the plasma levels of Ca and P. Different dietary P levels had no significant effect on plasma levels of albumin, AST, ALT, ALP, and urea, whereas the 0.35% P-based diet significantly decreased the plasma contents of total protein, creatinine, Ca, and P. Plasma levels of albumin, creatinine, urea, Ca, and P were not affected by an interaction between Ca and P. Diets containing 0.70% Ca and 0.45% P lead to the highest plasma values for total protein, ALT, AST, and ALP compared with the other dietary Ca and P combinations. In conclusion, dietary Ca and P levels can be simultaneously reduced without negative impacts on growth performance, carcass characteristics, or blood biochemical components. We advise to avoid increasing the dietary Ca: P ratio, as it leads to negative effects on growth performance and blood biochemistry in growing geese. So, the findings of the current study recommended the low levels of Ca (0.70%) and non-phytate P (0.35%) for the performance of Egyptian geese during the fattening period.

Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary yeast culture (YC) supplementation on the meat quality and antioxidant capacity of geese. Three hundred geese (live weight: 95.57 ± 2.42 g) were fed a basal diet (control), or diets supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 4.0% YC for 70 d. Compared with the control, dietary YC supplementation increased (P

Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen and the cause of significant morbidity and mortality via consumption of contaminated meat and meat-products. The prevalence of Salmonella in ducks and wild geese in China are poorly characterized and these sources represent a potential pool that could be transferred to farm-reared fowl. In this study, we isolated 335 (18.3%) Salmonella from 1830 samples and identified 24 serotypes and most prevalent were Salmonella Indiana, Salmonella Kentucky and Salmonella Typhimurium. Whole genome sequencing revealed the presence of the dominant sequence types ST17, ST198 and ST19 for these three serotypes, respectively. In addition, these isolates were most likely clonally spread across different regions while S. Kentucky also crossed the species barrier. The majority of the Salmonella isolates possessed β-lactam and fluoroquinolone resistance and these were consistent with antibiotic resistance gene profiles. We also identified 8 plasmid replicon types and all isolates possessed virulence genes and the numbers were greatest for S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium isolates. This study provides novel insights concerning the epidemiology of Salmonella in ducks and wild geese and provides basic data for public health screening and management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Goose astrovirus (GAstV)-2, a novel pathogen identified in 2018, mainly causes visceral gout in goslings, leading to approximately 50% mortality. At present, no commercial veterinary products are available to prevent and treat the disease. Our previous studies showed that nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were markedly higher in the kidney and spleen of goslings infected with GAstV-2, but their effects during GAstV-2 infection remain unclear. In the present study, goslings were intraperitoneally injected with aminoguanidine (AG)-an iNOS inhibitor-to examine the role of NO during GAstV-2 infection. AG significantly decreased the serum NO concentration and iNOS mRNA expression in the kidney. Moreover, AG reduced the mortality, serum uric acid and creatinine content, and urate deposition in visceral organs and joints. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that AG reduced renal tubular cell necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, glycogen deposition in glomerular mesangium, and interstitial fibrosis, suggesting alleviation of kidney lesions. Furthermore, AG decreased the expression of renal injury markers such as KIM-1 and desmin; inflammatory cytokine-related genes such as IL-1β, IL-8, and MMP-9; and autophagy-related genes and proteins such as LC3II, ATG5, and Beclin1. However, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that treatment with AG did not affect the kidney and liver viral load. These findings suggest that AG decreases the mortality rate and kidney lesions in goslings infected with GAstV-2 through mechanisms associated with autophagy and inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production in the kidney but not with GAstV-2 replication., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Feather is an important economic trait of poultry, and growth and development state of feathers plays an important role in the economic value of poultry. Dermal fibroblasts are required for structural integrity of the skin and for feather follicle development. How FOXO3 affects feather follicle development as skin tissues change during goose embryo (Anser cygnoides) development and growth is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that in vitro culture of single feathers and skin tissue results in changes in feather morphological structure by adding drugs to the culture medium that affect FOXO3 expression. We used feather follicles to show that during growth, the root location of feathers, the dermis layer, affects cell proliferation and apoptosis and regulates the expression of major genes in the Wingless-types/beta-catenin (Wnt/β-catenin) signaling pathway through the activity of FOXO3 in dermal fibroblasts. Feathers and dorsal skin tissues develop the correct structure, but feather length and width and feather follicle diameter change significantly (p < 0.05) without significant changes in feather follicle density (p > 0.05). Transfected dermal fibroblasts also showed that FOXO3 affected the formation and development of feather follicles in the embryonic stage by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, this study reveals the critical role of dermal fibroblast-FOXO3-induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling in promoting the formation and development of embryonic feather follicles., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In late 2020, an outbreak of Tembusu virus (TMUV)-associated disease occurred in a 45-day-old white Roman geese flock in Taiwan. Here, we present the identification and isolation of a novel goose-origin TMUV strain designated as NTU/C225/2020. The virus was successfully isolated using minimal-pathogen-free duck embryos. Phylogenetic analysis of the polyprotein gene showed that NTU/C225/2020 clustered together with the earliest isolates from Malaysia and was most closely related to the first Taiwanese TMUV strain, TP1906. Genomic analysis revealed significant amino acid variations among TMUV isolates in NS1 and NS2A protein regions. In the present study, we characterized the NTU/C225/2020 culture in duck embryos, chicken embryos, primary duck embryonated fibroblasts, and DF-1 cells. All host systems were susceptible to NTU/C225/2020 infection, with observable lesions. In addition, animal experiments showed that the intramuscular inoculation of NTU/C225/2020 resulted in growth retardation and hyperthermia in day-old chicks. Gross lesions in the infected chicks included hepatomegaly, hyperemic thymus, and splenomegaly. Viral loads and histopathological damage were displayed in various tissues of both inoculated and naïve co-housed chicks, confirming the direct chick-to-chick contact transmission of TMUV. This is the first in vivo study of a local TMUV strain in Taiwan. Our findings provide essential information for TMUV propagation and suggest a potential risk of disease outbreak in chicken populations., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: The total small vessel disease (SVD) score, calculated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is used to assess the risk of cerebral infarction. Stroke patients with total SVD scores of three or higher are reported to have a significantly increased risk of recurrent stroke. Similar to the total SVD score, carotid ultrasonography findings have been reported to be indicators of atherosclerosis. Although the total SVD score effectively reflects SVD progression, its correlation with carotid ultrasonography findings remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between these two factors., Methods: Patients with small-vessel occlusion within 24 h of onset were retrospectively selected. Atherosclerotic factors were evaluated using the left-right average Gosling pulsatility index (PI) in the internal carotid artery (ICA-PI) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Differences in clinical backgrounds, including atherosclerotic factors, were evaluated by dividing patients into two groups: those with a total SVD score of two or less (low-score group) and those with scores of three or more (high-score group)., Results: A total of 122 patients were included in this study. ICA-PI was significantly higher in the high-score group than in the low-score group. A high score was independently correlated with ICA-PI after adjusting for age, CAVI, smoking, and history of secondary atherosclerosis., Conclusions: Increased ICA-PI was associated with a high total SVD score in acute small-vessel occlusion and may be an alternative method for predicting the total SVD score, enabling the administration of interventions to prevent stroke relapse without the need for MRI., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The appropriateness of animal by-product proteins as emulsifiers is barely explored compared to their meat counterparts. This paper focused on improving interfacial and emulsifying properties of modified goose liver protein using three structurally relevant polyphenols either enhanced by pH shifting (P-catechin, P-quercetin and P-rutin) or not (catechin, quercetin and rutin). Due to its high hydrophobicity and limited steric hindrance, quercetin was more sufficient to hydrophobically interact (ΔH > 0, ΔS > 0) with MGLP than catechin and rutin. Results showed that polyphenol interactive affinity was positively correlated to surface hydrophobicity but negatively to size and aggregation extent of MGLP. Interfacial pressure and dilatational elastic modulus implied that synergistic polyphenol interaction and pH shifting favored the interfacial adsorption and macromolecular association of MGLP, particularly for P-quercetin with the values reached to 19.9 ± 2.0 mN/m and 22.9 ± 1.2 mN/m, respectively. Emulsion stabilized by P-quercetin also maintained highest physical and oxidative stabilities regarding the lowest D [4,3] (3.78 ± 0.27 μm) and creaming index (8.38 ± 0.43 %), together with highest mono- (19.51 %) and polyunsaturated fatty acid content (29.39 %) during storage. Overall, chemical structure of polyphenols may be determining in fabricating MGLP-polyphenol complexes with improved emulsion stabilization efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Fermented forages are important feedstuffs. Bacillus subtilis inoculants are often used to improve the value of forage legume fermentation. The present work was conducted to study the effects of replacing soybean meal with solid-state fermented alfalfa meal (FAM) with B. subtilis ACCC 01746 on growth performance, serum antioxidant and digestive enzyme activities, and cecal microflora in goose. 300 healthy geese with similar body weights were randomly assigned to six treatment groups with five replicates of 10 geese (five males and five females) each. Geese were fed ad libitum for 35 days. Results showed that the geese fed with 4 and 8% FAM exhibited no significant effects on their final body weights (FBW) and average day gain (ADG) (P>0.05), whereas 12% or higher FAM caused poor growth of the geese compared with control diet (linear (L): P0.05) and at 4% for catalase (CAT) supplementation level compared with the control group. All diets containing FAM increased digestive enzyme activities in geese. However, geese fed diets with 12% FAM supplementation showed the highest trypsin activities in pancreas (Q: P0.05). The numbers of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the cecum of geese fed with FAM significantly increased (L: P0.05). By contrast, the coliform counts of cecum decreased with increasing inclusion of FAM, but these counts were significantly reduced in geese fed diets with 12% or higher FAM supplementation level (L: P

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of graded levels of fiber from rice hull and the caecectomy on metabolizable energy (ME) and amino acid digestibility (AAD) in 42 Wuzong geese (21 intact and 21 caecectomized). The experiment was a 3×2 factorial randomized design with 3 fiber levels and 2 treatments of geese (caecectomized and intact). Each of the 3 diets was tube-fed (60 g) to 7 caecectomized and 7 intact adult Wuzong geese that had been fasted for 24 h. Excreta were collected for the next 48 h. The same geese were also fasted for estimation of endogenous losses of amino acids (AA) and energy after short period recovery. AA content and metabolizable energy value were determined in the excreta. In general, significant effects were found for fiber levels on apparent digestibility of Thr, Leu, Pro, Glu, Val, Ala and total AA (P0.05), except for Lys and Try (P

We have previously demonstrated that a sharp rise in feed intake (hyperphagia) and spontaneous liver steatosis could be experimentally induced in domestic Greylag geese by combining a short photoperiod and a sequence of feed restriction followed by ad libitum corn feeding during the fall and the winter. In this previous work, however, individual feed intake could not be recorded. The present study aimed at evaluating the relationship between level and pattern of hyperphagia and liver weight with an individual control of feed intake in individually housed (IH) geese, while comparing the performances with group housed (GH) geese. A total of 300 male geese of 19 weeks of age, were provided with corn ad libitum after an initial feed restriction period. From 21 to 23 weeks of age, the daylight duration was progressively reduced from 10 to 7 h and kept as such until the end of the experiment (week 36). In all, 30 GH and 30 IH geese were slaughtered at 19, 27, 30, 32 and 36 weeks of age. Feed intake was measured per group in GH geese and individually in IH geese. During the 1st week of corn feeding, the average feed intake rose up to 600 g/goose per day in GH geese but not in IH geese where the feed intake rose gradually from 300 to 400 g/day. The liver weight increased from 93 g (week 19) to 497 g (week 32; P

The aim of this work was to study the effects of incorporating sugar beet pulp (SBP) into the diet on the development of the crop and performance of geese. A total of 480 1-day-old ganders were divided into three groups differing in the composition and mode of distribution of the diet offered from day 56 to 89. The following two diets were used: a standard diet (nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy, AMEn 11.44 MJ/kg; 160 g/kg CP) or a diet containing 10% of SBP (SBP diet; AMEn 11.47 MJ/kg; 160 g/kg CP). The swelling capacity (SC) hydration was higher for SBP than for the standard diet (3.62 v. 2.72 ml of H2O/g of dry matter at 60 min; P0.05). At day 89, the volume of the crop tended to be higher in the SBPt compared with the Control group (52.8 v. 48.8 ml/kg of LW; P=0.101). After overfeeding, feed intake (12 922 g), weight gain (2412 g), LW (8170 g), fatty liver weight (875 g) and commercial grading of the fatty liver were similar (P>0.1) for all the three groups. Therefore, SBP could help adapt the digestive tract of waterfowl to high feed intake through an increase in the crop volume, but its method of use – that is, level of incorporation and mode of distribution – should continue to be investigated.

This study aimed to determine the effect of age and sex in weeks on growth, carcass performances, and feather quality of White Roman geese and analyze the relative effect of age and sex in weeks on feather characteristics in geese. In animal experiments, 120 White Roman geese aged 13 wk were randomly distributed among 12 pens and fed grower diet ad libitum during the growing period, with each pen containing 10 males or 10 females, depending on a completely random design. Ten geese each in their 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 25 wk of age were sacrificed. The results showed that the age had no significant effect on the body weight (BW) of geese (P > 0.05). The chest girth was significantly longer in 21 to 25 wk old than in 13- to 19-wk-old geese (P < 0.05). The results reveal no significant change in carcass weight of grower geese among 13- to 25-wk age groups (P > 0.05). The down percentage of the 25-wk-old age group was significantly higher than that of the 13-, 15-, and 17-wk age groups (P < 0.05). The male geese had a higher dry feather weight than the females (P < 0.05). Similarly, the 18-h feed-deprived body weight (18-h FDBW) and 4 to 10 cm feather weight were significantly negatively correlated in grower geese (-0.42). This provides the feather industry an opportunity for the better utilization of grower geese by-products. In conclusion, the age has no influence on BW among 13- to 25-wk-old geese, and a good down percentage and dry weight were observed at 25 wk of age. The 18-h FDBW and down percentage had a significantly negative correlation (-0.55) in grower geese., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin K3 (VK3) supplementation on production performance, egg quality, vitamin K-dependent proteins, and antioxidant properties in breeding geese during the laying period. A total of one hundred twenty 82-wk-old Wulong geese with similar body weights were randomly divided into 6 groups with 4 replicates and 5 geese each (1 male and 4 female). The geese in the control group were fed a basal diet, and the geese in the treatment groups were fed diets supplemented with different levels of VK3 (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 mg/kg) for 11 wk. Dietary VK3 supplementation linearly and quadratically increased feed intake, egg mass, egg weight, and egg production (P < 0.05). Increasing VK3 levels linearly and quadratically increased albumen height, shell thickness and Haugh unit of eggs (P < 0.05). VK3 reduced osteocalcin (OC) and uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) levels in the serum. Dietary VK3 addition linearly decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P < 0.01). There was linear and quadratic effect in the activity of serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) (P < 0.01), and linear effect in serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, dietary VK3 supplementation enhanced the production performance, egg quality, vitamin K-dependent proteins, and antioxidant properties in breeding geese during the laying period. The optimal dose of dietary VK3 supplementation was 10.0 mg/kg., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wildlife is exposed to mixtures of environmental contaminants that affect health and population dynamics. Exposure to toxic heavy metals originating from anthropogenic sources may exert metabolic effects at even low exposure concentrations. Here we investigated the relationships between heavy metal exposure and metabolic changes in the migratory bird pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus). We used blood pellet and blood plasma samples from 27 free-ranging pink-footed geese to study heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb) exposure in relation to the metabolome. The results relate blood concentrations of Cd (range: 0.218-1.09 ng/g), Cr (range: 0.299-5.60 ng/g), and Hg (range: 2.63-6.00 ng/g) to signal areas of fatty acids and other lipids, while no correlations were identified for Pb level (range: 21.0-64.2 ng/g) exposure. Lipid signal areas were negatively associated with concentrations of Cr and positively associated with Hg exposure (both p < 0.05). α-Linolenic acid and 9-oxononanoic acid were negatively correlated to Cr exposure (both p < 0.05) and were related in the α-linolenic acid metabolism pathway. Compared to known thresholds for aviary species, the heavy metal concentrations are below levels of toxicity, which may explain the low number of metabolites that significantly change. Nevertheless, the heavy metal exposure is still correlated to changes in the lipid metabolism that may reduce migrating birds' breeding success and increase mortality for an exposed part of the population., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Rikke Poulsen reports financial support was provided by Horizon 2020). Martin Hansen reports financial support was provided by Horizon 2020)., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The emergence of Goose astrovirus (GoAstV) has led to the gout in geese. This study aimed to isolate and identify the GoAstV from diseased goslings in Sichuan Province, China, followed by performing whole genome phylogenetic analysis of the isolate. The GoAstV was successfully isolated by inoculating the diseased gosling liver and kidney homogenate into the 11-day-old goose embryo allantoic cavity for 3 passages, and the isolate was named as GoAstV-C2 strain. The virus particles were spherical, without capsule, and the size was about 28 nm under transmission electronic microscope. The complete genome length of GoAstV-C2 was 7.035 nt, and the whole genome sequence phylogenetic analysis revealed that it belongs to the GoAstV genotype II (GoAstV-II) subgenotype IIc. The isolated GoAstV-C2 strain was able to be stably passaged in the goose embryo and uric acid sedimentation was observed. The complete genome bioinformation of GoAstV-C2 determined the evolutionary characteristics of the GoAstV isolated from Sichuan, China. This finding lays a foundation for the development of preventive measures, effective vaccines, and therapeutic drugs., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Goose astrovirus genotype 2 (GAstV-2) is the causative agent causing severe visceral gout and joint gout in goslings, with mortality rates of affected flocks up to 50%. To date, continuous GAstV-2 outbreaks still pose a great threat to goose industry in China. Although most researches on GAstV-2 have focused on its pathogenicity to geese and ducks, limited studies have been performed on chickens. Herein, we inoculated 1-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn line chickens with 0.6 mL of GAstV-2 culture supernatant (TCID 50 10 -5.14 /0.1 mL) via orally, subcutaneously and intramuscularly, and then assessed the pathogenicity. The results revealed that the infected chickens presented depression, anorexia, diarrhea, and weight loss. The infected chickens also suffered from extensive organ damage and had histopathological changes in the heart, liver, spleen, kidney, and thymuses. The infected chickens also had high viral load in tissues and shed virus after the challenge. Overall, our research demonstrates that GAstV-2 can infect chickens and adversely affect the productivity of animals. And the viruses shed by infected chickens can pose a potential risk to the same or other domestic landfowls., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This research aimed to investigate the effects of drinking water temperatures on growth performance, water consumption, surface temperature, organ indices, blood parameters, and intestinal development of geese, and determine the optimal drinking water temperature for 21 to 49-d geese. A total of 192 twenty-one-day male Yuzhou white geese were allocated randomly to 4 groups with 8 replicate pens per group according to the drinking water temperature (drinking water temperature [7℃-12℃] at ambient temperature [T C ], 18℃ [T 1 ], 27℃ [T 2 ], and 36℃ [T 3 ], respectively). The results showed that increasing drinking water temperature did not significantly improve the BW, ADG, and ADFI of geese (P > 0.05), whereas drinking warm water of 36℃ for geese had a trend to increase FCR (0.05 < P < 0.1). Geese in group T 2 drank the most water per day on average, whereas geese in group T C drank the least (P < 0.001). Geese in groups T 1 , T 2 , and T 3 had higher eyes temperatures than group T C (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found on the organ indices and blood biochemical parameters (P > 0.05). Geese from group T 1 had higher crypt depth and muscularis thickness of duodenum (P < 0.05), and lower ratio of villus height to crypt depth than other groups (P < 0.001). Geese from group T 1 had higher activities of trypsin in duodenum and jejuna and amylase in jejuna at 49 d than other groups (P < 0.01). Overall, these data indicate drinking water at 18℃ can increase water consumption and eyes temperature, and improve the activity of digestive enzymes and promote intestinal development. Under our experimental conditions, we recommend that the optimal drinking water temperature for geese from 21 to 49 d of age is 18°C., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)