The Effects of Different Fattening Methods and Sex on Fattening Performance in Native Turkish Geese

Abstract

The animal material of the study consisted of native Turkish geese. Regardless of the sex of the chicks, the first 4 wk of age were fed together, and the 5 and 6 week of age were fed ad libitum in groups using the starter feed. From the sixth wk onwards, four fattening method were formed until the 16 week of age as feed, pasture + cracked barley, pasture + feed and pasture. In the feed, pasture + cracked barley, pasture + feed groups, general body weight increase averages are 39.81, 37.46 and 39.90 g, respectively; average feed daily consumption is 426.95, 207.99 and 200.76 g, respectively; feed conversion ratio were 10.72, 5.55 and 5.03, respectively. At the end of the study, body weights were determined as 4209, 4108, 4239 and 3971 g in the feed, pasture + cracked barley, pasture + feed groups and pasture groups, respectively (P<0.01). As a result, the average body weight of geese was found to be similar with some literature data, which is lower than some literature data. This may be due to the fact that the geese used in the study are native Turkish geese and no selection studies have been performed on them. Although the highest body weight increase was determined in the pasture + feed group, it was concluded that it would be more appropriate to make pasture feed since the geese fed economically in the pasture provide body weight increase similar to other groups. It was determined that fattening with only feed is not economical for goose breeding and does not provide much daily weight gain compared to other groups.