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ABSTRACT
1. This study aimed to investigate effects of dietary fibre and grit on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract development, and gizzard grit retention of geese.
2. The trial had a 3 × 2 factorial design consisting of three levels of dietary crude fibre (CF, 4%, 7% and 10%, adjusted by grass powder), with or without grit addition (1–4 mm river sand).
3. In total, 648, 22-d-old male goslings were randomly allotted to six treatments (six pens/treatment). At 49 d and 70 d of age, one goose per pen was euthanised to collect samples.
4. The birds fed 10% CF had decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 22–49 d, but this effect was less in older geese. Increasing dietary CF levels increased relative weights of gizzards for geese aged 49 d and 70 d. Grit addition decreased the relative weights of gizzard and duodenum of geese aged 49 d. The gizzard of geese could selectively retain grit from feed even with no grit added. With adequate supply, most grit in gizzard was 0.45–3 mm in size.
5. In conclusion, supplement of CF and grit mainly affected gastrointestinal tract, and the amount of CF affected FCR. Geese aged 22–49 d could utilise dietary CF levels of 4%-7% and older birds could feed on diets with up to 10% CF. The gizzard of goose selectively retained grit of a particle size of 0.45–3 mm.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Shantou Baisha Research Institute of Original Species of Poultry and Stock, Shantou, P. R. China, which provided facilities for feeding study and greatly helped with sample collection.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.