To evaluate color [lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*)], water-holding capacity (WHC), and pH values, and for proximate analysis of bre

1. This study was conducted to assess the impact of genotype and outdoor access (and gender when appropriate) on growth rate and carcass yield. 2. One slow-growing genotype (Bronze; B, n = 129), a commercial fast-growing genotype (Hybrid; H, n = 186) and a medium-growing genotype (crosses; H × B, n = 78) were housed (straight-run) for 21 weeks of age. Each genotype was assigned to 3 pens of 20–23 birds each and raised in indoor floor pens in a curtain-sided house with ventilation fans; the B, H and H × B genotypes were also assigned to 3, 4 and 2 floor pens (2 m² approximately) with outdoor access (during daylight hours), respectively. All animals were fed ad libitum a commercial diet and birds were commercially processed. After reaching the commercial live weight at 17 and 21 weeks of age, 4 birds (two females and two males) per replicate were slaughtered to determine the yields of carcass, breast, and thigh, abdominal fat and edible inner organs. Gastrointestinal tract characteristics such as length and weight of whole gut were analysed. 3. No significant interaction between genotype and housing systems was observed. Significant differences were found for all traits among genotypes. The live weight was higher in H and H × B genotypes from 7 to 15 weeks and from 7 to 21 weeks of age compared to B genotype, respectively. The live weight of H genotype was higher than that of H × B genotype from 15 to 21 weeks of age. The carcass weight and yield, and the relative weights of the edible inner organs and whole gut, and the relative length of whole gut were significantly affected by genotype and sex of birds. Differences in growth performance, relative weight of breast meat, wings or thighs between birds raised on barn or free-range were negligible. In conclusion, while the development in growth performances was related to strain, the traits at slaughter were related to both strain and sex, and were unaffected by housing system.

1. This study investigated the effect of incubation type and production system on geese growth traits. 2. A total of 216 geese were either naturally (114) or artificially (102) hatched and reared in intensive or free-range production systems (4 replicates each) until 18 weeks of age. 3. Weights of naturally hatched goslings (NHG) were significantly higher than artificially hatched goslings (AHG) at 2 weeks (644 vs. 536 g); however, weights of AHG were significantly higher than NHG at both 6 weeks (3245 vs. 3010 g) and 18 weeks (5212 vs. 4353 g). 4. AHG had better feed conversion ratios (FCRs) than NHG (6.21 vs. 6.46 at 18 weeks). Feed consumption of naturally hatched geese was found higher in first 4 weeks when compared to artificially hatched geese and artificially hatched geese consumed more feed than naturally hatched geese after 8 weeks. 5. Production system had insignificant effects on feed consumption, FCRs, viability and mutilation rates. 6. Slipped wings were more frequent in NHG than AHG (8.32% vs. 1.68% at 6 weeks; 23.84% vs. 5.12% between 7 and 18 weeks) and in free-range production when compared to intensive production (17.88% vs. 11.08% over the course of the production period). 7. The study results indicate that both artificially and NHG can be reared in free-range production systems without any loss in performance and in deference to animal welfare.