title: Effects of short light regimes and lower dietary protein content on the reproductive performance of White Roman geese in an environment-controlled house.
abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of short light regimes and lower dietary protein content on the reproductive performance of White Roman geese in an environment- controlled house. Thirty-two ganders and 80 geese during the third laying period were allotted into 16 pens, randomly assigned into a split-plot design with two different lighting regimes: (1) short light regimes (SL) with 6.5h of light and 17.5h of dark (6.5L:17.5D), and (2) long light regimes (LL) with 19L:5D during the 6-wk prelaying period, followed by two different levels of protein diets (Low CP: 15% vs. High CP: 18%) for the laying period. The results showed that birds treated with the SL light regime had a heavier body weight compared to those treated with LL at the arrival of the peak period of egg production (6.19 vs. 5.87kg, P<0.05). Geese under LL had a longer laying period than those under SL treatment (277 vs. 175day, P<0.05), while the geese under SL treatment had a higher laying intensity (15.4% vs. 12.6%, P<0.05), fertility and hatchability than those under LL treatment. Our results suggest that the White Roman geese treated with 6-wk short light regime during the prelaying period and on the low CP diet during the laying period found conditions sufficient to sustain their regular reproduction performance, which would benefit geese farmers in the perspectives of energy saving and prolonged laying period.
authors.affiliation: Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shen-Chang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Shine
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jea
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Tainan 712, Taiwan; Institute of Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Institute of Biotechnology, Southern Taiwan University, Tainan 710, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lih-Ren
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yang-Kwang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan. Electronic address: ttlee@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Tzu-Tai
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D046090:Anseriformes / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition / Q000502:physiology; D017440:Photoperiod; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Dietary protein; Photoperiod; Reproduction performance; White Roman goose