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Controlling reproductive seasonality in the geese: a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2008

Z.D. SHI*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Y.B. TIAN
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology, Guangzhou, 510225, China
W. WU
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
Z.Y. WANG
Affiliation:
College of Animal Sciences, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
*
Corresponding author: zdshi@scau.edu.cn
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Abstract

The following paper reviews the breeding seasonality and its control in the domestic geese. Geese breeds can be classified into 3 types according to their breeding season: Type 1 inhabits higher latitude (40 to 45º N) temperate zones, and breeds during the longer days in spring and early summer. Types 2 inhabits mid-latitude (30 to 40º N) temperate regions, and start their breeding season in autumn and end in the following spring - early summer. Type 3 are the short-day breeding geese, located in subtropical areas (22 to 25º N), which breed from late summer to the following spring. Differences in breeding seasonalities are attributed to adaptations to environment conditions, enabling geese to fully utilize these conditions to achieve maximal reproductive performance and survival. Divergent breeding seasons are caused by the different pituitary secretions of gonadotrophins and prolactin in response to annual changes in photoperiod. In practical goose production, laying seasons can be controlled by imposing artificial photoperiods, with almost opposite photo-programmes for long or short day breeding geese, respectively. In addition, genetic selection and other animal husbandry measures such as timing of gosling stocking and nutritional intake levels can modify, to various degrees, the goose breeding seasonality.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association2008

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