title: The effects of feeding time and time-restricted feeding on the fattening traits of White Roman geese.
abstract: This study comprises two trials that investigated the effects of feeding time and time-restricted feeding on the fattening traits and plasma metabolite levels of White Roman geese. In Trial I, 24 geese aged 8 weeks of each sex were allowed free access to a fattening diet for 1 h either in the morning (morning-feeding group) or afternoon (afternoon-feeding group). At 12 weeks of age, blood samples were collected hourly for 4 h, beginning 1 h after feeding to determine the plasma levels of glucose, triacylglycerols and uric acid. The results showed a lower (P<0.05) daily feed intake (DFI) and daily gain (DG) and higher (P<0.05) feed efficiency (FE) for the morning-feeding group compared with those of the afternoon-feeding group. In addition, the postprandial plasma levels of glucose, triacylglycerols and uric acid did not differ (P>0.05) between groups. In Trial II, 12 geese aged 8 weeks of each sex were randomly assigned to either the ad libitum feeding group (control group) or time-restricted feeding group (restricted group). The geese in the control group were fed a fattening diet ad libitum, whereas those in the restricted group were allowed access to the diet for 2 h every morning. All geese were killed at 13 weeks of age and their carcass traits were evaluated. The results showed a lower DFI and DG and higher FE for the restricted group compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). In addition, the restricted group exhibited lower visceral and abdominal fat and higher empty digestive tract and liver weights than those of the control group (P<0.05). The results showed that time-restricted feeding in the morning resulted in superior DG and FE compared with feeding in the afternoon. Moreover, time-restricted feeding implemented in the morning during the fattening period reduced DFI and increased FE in geese compared with ad libitum feeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005777:Geese / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation