The effect of sex and feed supplementation with organic selenium and vitamin E on the growth rate and zoometrical body measurements of oat-fattened White Kołuda® geese*

Authors: EWA LUKASZEWICZ, ARTUR KOWALCZYK, ANNA JERYSZ

Abstract: This experiment was carried out on 200 White Koluda geese, 1 day old, randomly divided into 2 groups with 50 males and 50 females in each group. From the first day until week 13, birds from the control groups were fed basic feeds; in the experimental groups, feed was supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg of selenium and 100 mg/kg of vitamin E. Later on, all birds were fed for 1 week with 160 g of oat grain and 250 g of ground cereals per day, then with oat grain ad libitum. The body weight of each bird was measured individually on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91, and 112, and growth rates were calculated. On the last day of the experiment, live zoometrical measurements were taken. On days 7, 14, 21, 35, and 63, the live body weights of geese from the experimental groups were significantly higher compared to those of the control groups (P < 0.05). Feed supplementation positively affected the length of the body and width of the chest (P < 0.05). The thickness of skin with subcutaneous fat was significantly lower in the experimental groups (P < 0.05). Regardless of the feeding group, significant sex-based differences were observed in the majority of the evaluated live body measurements (P < 0.05).

Keywords: Goose, selenium, vitamin E, growth rate, zoometrical measurements

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