Response of growth performance, blood hematology, organ indexes, and myofiber traits to increasing dietary methionine levels in Jilin White goose

Abstract

A total of 240 geese (28 days old; 120 ganders and 120 gooses) with an average initial body weight of 1068.19 ± 6.59 g were used to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary methionine (Met) levels on growth performance, blood hematology, organ indexes, and myofiber traits. The experimental period was 42 days. All birds were randomly assigned to four treatment groups based on the initial body weight. There were six replicate cages per treatment, and 10 geese per cage (5 ganders and 5 gooses). Dietary treatments were based on a basal diet containing 0.25% Met, and extra supplied 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% Met to form different dietary groups (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.00% Met, as-fed basis). The results of this study indicated that final body weight, body weight gain, and feed efficiency increased quadratically, relative weight of breast muscle and myofiber diameter increased cubically, serum total protein and uric acid concentrations, relative weight of liver and abdominal fat, and myofiber diameter increased linearly, whereas myofiber density decreased linearly, with the level of Met increased. The maximized growth performance and breast muscle parameters were observed in 0.75% Met-containing group.