ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine slaughter and carcass traits of geese with different feather colour and gender. The study was conducted with Turkish geese in free-range production conditions in Kars, Turkey. A total of 282 geese (251 females, 31 males) were grouped by feather colour as black (n=49), white (n=77), black pied (n=127), and brown and brown tawny (n=29). Geese were weighed before slaughter and then the slaughter and carcass traits were determined. Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA, and post-hoc Tukey HSD test was applied to compare feather-colour means and the independent sample t-test was used to compare gender means. Feather colour did not influence (p>0.05) slaughter and carcass traits, except for hot carcass, feather and heart percentages (p<0.05). Males showed statistically higher feet (p<0.001), heart (p<0.01), liver (p<0.05) and gizzard (p<0.01) weights compared with females, as well as significantly higher (p<0.05) feet, heart, liver and gizzard yields. In conclusion, feather colour did not influence the evaluated slaughter and carcass characteristics of geese reared under semi-intensive conditions in the province of Kars, Turkey, and higher feet, heart, liver and gizzard weights and yields were obtained in males than in females.
Keywords:
Carcass trait; feather colour; geese; gender; slaughter trait