• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.901-907
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• 2016

The present study investigated stocking density and genetic lines, factors that may alter the severity and incidence of angel wing (AW), in White Roman geese. Geese (n = 384) from two genetically selected lines (normal- winged line, NL, and angel-winged line, AL, respectively) and one commercial line (CL) were raised in four pens. Following common commercial practice, low-stocking-density (LD), medium-stocking-density, and high-stocking-density treatments were respectively administered to 24, 32, and 40 geese per pen at 0 to 3 weeks ($1.92m^2/pen$) and 4 to 6 weeks ($13.2m^2/pen$) of age and to 24, 30, and 36 geese at 7 to 14 weeks ($20.0m^2/pen$) of age. The results revealed that stocking density mainly affected body weight gain in geese younger than 4 weeks, and that geese subjected to LD had a high body weight at 2 weeks of age. However, the effect of stocking density on the severity score of AW (SSAW) and incidence of AW (IAW) did not differ significantly among the treatments. Differences were observed among the genetic stocks; that is, SSAW and IAW were significantly higher in AL than in NL and CL. Genetic selection generally aggravates AW, complicating its elimination. To effectively reduce IAW, stocking density, a suspected causal factor, should be lower than that presently applied commercially.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1043-1047
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• 2009

Three experiments were conducted to determine the conversion rate of formic and acetic acids into methane in the gastrointestinal tracts of geese. In experiment I, two sets of two 4-month-old male White Roman geese were allocated to one of two treatment groups. Each set of geese was inoculated either with formic acid or with phosphate buffer solution (PBS). After the acid or the PBS was inoculated into the esophagi of the geese, two birds from each treatment were placed in a respiratory chamber as a measurement unit for 4 h in order to determine methane production rate. In experiment II and III, 6- and 7-wk-old male White Roman goslings were used, respectively. Birds were allocated to receive either formic acid or PBS solution injected into the ceca in experiment II. Acetic acid or PBS solution injected into the cecum were used for experiment III. After either the acids or the PBS solution were injected into the cecum, two birds from each treatment were placed in a respiratory chamber as a measurement unit for 3 h; each treatment was repeated 3 times. The results indicated that formic acid inoculated into the oesophagi of geese was quickly converted into methane. Compared with the PBS-injected group, methane production increased by 5.02 times in the formic acid injected group (4.32 vs. 0.86 mg/kg BW/d; p<0.05). Acetic acid injected into the ceca did not increase methane production; conversely, it tended to decrease methane production. The present study suggests that formic acid may be converted to methane in the ceca, and that acetic acid may not be a precursor of methane in the ceca of geese.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.167-179
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to create a set of microsatellite markers with high polymorphism for the genetic monitoring and genetic structure analysis of local goose populations. Methods: Novel microsatellite markers were isolated from the genomic DNA of white Roman geese using short tandem repeated probes. The DNA segments, including short tandem repeats, were tested for their variability among four populations of geese from the Changhua Animal Propagation Station (CAPS). The selected microsatellite markers could then be used to monitor genetic variability and study the genetic structures of geese from local geese farms. Results: 14 novel microsatellite loci were isolated. In addition to seven known loci, two multiplex sets were constructed for the detection of genetic variations in geese populations. The average of allele number, the effective number of alleles, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were 11.09, 5.145, 0.499, 0.745, and 0.705, respectively. The results of analysis of molecular variance and principal component analysis indicated a contracting white Roman cluster and a spreading Chinese cluster. In white Roman populations, the CAPS populations were depleted to roughly two clusters when K was set equal to 6 in the Bayesian cluster analysis. The founders of private farm populations had a similar genetic structure. Among the Chinese geese populations, the CAPS populations and private populations represented different clads of the phylogenetic tree and individuals from the private populations had uneven genetic characteristics according to various analyses. Conclusion: Based on this study's analyses, we suggest that the CAPS should institute a proper breeding strategy for white Roman geese to avoid further clustering. In addition, for preservation and stable quality, the Chinese geese in the CAPS and the aforementioned proper breeding scheme should be introduced to geese breeders.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1455-1462
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether goose growth and feather characteristics are influenced by their line and feeding surroundings, inclusive of floor materials and types, since there are no reports regarding these factors. Methods: The 240 White Roman geese which were hatched and sex identified came from 3 commercial goose farms. They were randomly distributed to 24 pens depending on a completely random design. The study continued for 13 weeks and included 3 lines of commercial geese and 2 floor types (cement strip floor [CSF] or cement floor [CF]). Results: The day one gosling weight from A farm was lower than other two farms (96 g vs 107 and 115 g; p<0.001). Afterwards, the body weight, back length, keel length, chest girth and main wing feather length among 3 farms showed no significance difference prior to 12 weeks. The CF group showed heavier body weight, shorter back length, longer keel length, shorter chest girth and shorter main wing feather length than the CSF group prior to 12 weeks. The down weight in the CF was heavier than the CSF group (57.1 g vs 41.8 g; p<0.01) prior to 13 weeks. Conclusion: The body weight showed the positive relations for dry feather weight (r = 0.59), down weight (r = 0.69), percent of the down weight of live body weight prior to 13 weeks (r = 0.61).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.539-550
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• 1996

Experiment was conducted to study the effect of sources of dietary fiber on the intestinal morphology of geese. Sixty white Roman geese of two-week-old were divided randomly into six groups and were fed with isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets which contain alfalfa meal, barley hull, rice hull, purified cellulose, lignin, or pectin as the major dietary source of fiber. Different sources of dietary fiber significantly influenced the villi height and the crypt depth in the duodenum, and the villi height and the muscle layer thickness in the ileum (p < 0.05). The duodenal villus in the geese that fed diets with alfalfa meal, rice hull or pectin supplemented were significantly longest ($968.5{\mu}m$), whereas the lignin group was significantly shortest villus and deepest crypt depth (p < 0.05). The thicknesses of the ileal and caecal muscle layer were significantly thicker in the geese fed with cellulose supplemented diets than in those fed with the other treatment diets. The caecum of the barley bran fed geese possessed significantly longest villi and the most thick muscle layers (p < 0.05). From scanning electronic microscopic observation, the leafy and plate-like in the duodenal villi morphology of geese represented a more effective nutrient absorption in the small intestine. The morphology of ileal villi in geese was similar from herbivorous rabbit and from the African Green monkey.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.830-837
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of monochromic light-emitting diode (LED) light with different color on the growth and reproductive performances of white Roman breeder geese. A randomized complete batch design was utilized for the trial, and the replicate was regarded as one batch. Twenty ganders and fifty-five dames were used in batch 1 (started on 2011/6/17 and ended on 2012/1/31), thirty ganders and eighty-four dames were used in batch 2 (started on 2012/3/23 and ended on 2012/10/26), and thirty ganders and seventy-two dames were used in batch 3 (started on 2013/3/12 and ended on 2013/12/20). Two hundred and ninety-one geese were randomly assigned to 6 rooms in an environmentally controlled house. They were randomly allotted into one of three monochromatic light treatments: Blue, red, or white. The results showed that there was no significant difference in body weight among the three lighting groups at any point throughout the experimental period. However, compared to the blue light group, significantly more eggs were produced by the red and white light groups (p<0.05). Furthermore, the laying period of the red light group was significantly longer than that of other two groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results suggested that red LED-light has the best effect on reproductive performance (i.e. longer laying period and higher total eggs number) at 30 lux light intensity, and is therefore a better choice for the management of breeding geese than blue or white LED-light.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.1018-1021
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to investigate the villus distribution in the caeca of domestic geese based on the fine structure. The caeca of White Roman geese, 14-week old, were sampled and specimens were detected under photomicroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicated that the villi existed at the proximal caecum. The morphologies of these villi showed finger-like, peak-like or tongue-like shapes. The heights of the villi decreased far from the proximal caecum. No villi were found in the middle and distal caecum. It was obvious that the proximal segment was the main portion for absorbing food nutrients in the caeca. The caecal content particles were small and possessed a viscid character. The large particles filtered out at the proximal caecum just like a mesh. The surface of the middle caecum exhibited parallel ridges with no villi. There were band plicae circular shapes found in the middle caecum under scanning electron microsopy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.841-847
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• 2005

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the development of gastrointestinal tract and activities of pancreatic enzymes in White Roman geese. Thirty developing embryos at the 22th, 24th and 26th day of incubation and at hatching, and sixteen or eight goslings, half males and half females, at the 1, 3, 7 or 11, 14, 21 and 28 days of age were sampled, respectively. The weights of the yolk, gastrointestinal tract and intestinal length, and the activities of pancreatic enzymes were measured. Residual yolk weight decreased rapidly during late incubation and was nearly depleted at 3 days of age. The protein and energy contents in the residual yolk of goslings at 3 days of age were significantly (p<0.05) less than those at the late incubation. From 6 days before hatching to 28 days of age, the absolute weights of gizzard, proventriculus, liver, pancreas, small intestine and large intestine in goslings increased by 48, 457, 94, 2334, 89 and 76 times, respectively. The relative weights of proventriculus, gizzard, liver, pancreas, small intestine and large intestine reached peaks at 3, 3, 14, 14, 11 and 11 days of age, respectively, and then decreased gradually. However, the relative lengths of small intestine and large intestine reached peaks at 3 days of age and at hatching, respectively. The activities of pancreatic trypsin and chymotrypsin increased sharply from hatching to 14 day of age, and then decreased gradually until 21 days of age. The activity and specific activity of pancreatic amylase were increased following by age and peaked at 7 to 11 and 21 days of age, respectively. The activity and specific activity of pancreatic lipase reached a plateau from 11 to 28 days of age. These results indicate that the gastrointestinal tract and activities of pancreatic enzymes developed more rapidly than body weight through the early growing period of goslings.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.584-590
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• 2023

Objective: This research aimed to explore the changes in the observed abdominal sagging index (ASI) and reproductive performance of Roman male and female geese during the breeding period. Methods: The 339 six-month-old breeding geese (109 male; 230 female) were used in this study, in which five male and five female geese were slaughtered on a monthly basis to record the ASI. Results: The short diameter of the testes of the male goose when the female goose lays eggs and in the second, third, and fourth months was significantly wider than in the fifth months (19.0, 20.8, 21.4, and 19.6 vs 12.7 and 14.0 mm/bird; p = 0.0105). On the other hand, the testicular weight of the male goose in the second and third months after the female goose lays eggs was significantly higher than that in the second and fifth months after laying (0.33% and 0.37% vs 0.11% and 0.19%; p = 0.0212). During the exploring period, the length and weight of the fallopian tube, the weight of the ovary, the number of follicles in 2 to 3 cm, the number of follicles in 3 to 4 cm, the fallopian tube weight in the carcass weight percentage, and the ovary weight in the carcass weight percentage all demonstrated a significant curve response. Further, female ASI was positively correlated with reproductive tract length (r = 0.815; p<0.05) and egg production per female (r = 0.790; p<0.05). Conclusion: The ASI classification method is more objective and easy to distinguish. This scoring method has a high correlation with the number of eggs laid by each goose and the length of the reproductive tract, inferring that the goose observation could take advantage of ASI during egg-laying and can predict the reproductive system development during the laying period and determine when the breeding goose begins to lay eggs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.873-878
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• 2005

Emissions of nitrous oxide (N$_2$O) and methane (CH$_4$) from poultry enteric fermentation were investigated using a respiration chamber. Birds were placed in a respiration chamber for certain intervals during their growing period or for the whole life cycle. The accumulated gas inside the chamber was sampled and analyzed for N$_2$O and CH$_4$ production. A curve for gas production during a life cycle was fitted. The calculated area under the curve estimated the emission factor of poultry enteric fermentation on a life cycle basis (mg bird$^{-1}$ life cycle$^{-1}$). This method can be used to estimate CH$_4$ or N$_2$O emissions from different types of avian species taking into account factors such as diet, season or thermal effects. The CH$_4$/N$_2$O emission factors estimated for commercial broiler chickens, Taiwan country chickens and White Roman Geese were 15.87/0.03, 84.8/16.4 and 1,500/49 (mg bird$^{-1}$ life cycle$^{-1}$), respectively, while the calculated CH$_4$/N$_2$O emission from enteric fermentations were 3.03/0.006, 14.73/2.84 and 9.5/0.31 (Mg year$^{-1}$), respectively in Taiwan in the year of 2000. The described method is applicable to most poultry species and the reported emission factors were applicable to meat type poultry only.