Biosecurity problems, including the continual risk of avian influenza spread by wild birds, have severely affected traditional free-range waterfowl production systems. Regulations and techniques for indoor goose production require more considerations for animal welfare. This study investigated the effects of swimming pool conditions and different floor types on the physical condition scores and behaviors of indoor-reared White Roman geese. A total of 48 male and 48 female White Roman geese reared from the age of 15 to 84 days were randomly allocated to pens with or without a swimming pool and with either mud or perforated plastic floors. Providing a swimming pool improved geese’s eye and feather cleanliness and breast blister scores at the age of 84 days. Compared with geese reared on a mud floor, those reared on a perforated plastic floor had better feather cleanliness and higher breast blister scores at the age of 56 and 84 days. Providing a swimming pool to indoor-reared geese may reduce the proportion of abnormal behaviors, such as injurious feather pecking, by increasing water-related behaviors. This study suggests a more appropriate environment design for better balancing commercial goose production with animal welfare in an indoor rearing system.

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is a major foot disease in modern poultry production, and it affects both poultry health and animal welfare. It refers to inflammation and necrotizing lesions on the plantar surface of the footpads and toes. We investigated the effects of providing a swimming pool and different floor types on growth performance and FPD score in indoor-reared White Roman geese. Forty-eight male and 48 female White Roman geese were randomly allocated to pens with or without a swimming pool and with either mud or perforated plastic floor and reared from 15 to 84 days of age. Growth performance measurements included feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). FI, WG, and FCR were significantly decreased at various growth periods in geese provided with a pool. Lower WG and bodyweight for the perforated plastic floor group were found at 15–28 and 28 days of age, respectively. The geese reared on the perforated plastic floors without a pool had higher FPD scores at 70 and 84 days of age than those with other rearing conditions. A higher incidence of FPD score 1 was observed in geese raised without a pool. In conclusion, providing a pool can improve footpad health in indoor-reared White Roman geese but may not benefit growth performance.

This study investigated the effects of Lycium chinense Miller stem (LCM) and Origanum vulgare Linn (oregano) essential oil on growth, blood biochemistry, and caecal microorganisms in White Roman goose. A total of 96-day-old White Roman geese were randomly allocated to a control group and three treatment groups. The G 0.05 diet was enriched with 0.05% LCM extract, the G 0.5 diet was enriched with 0.5% LCM extract, and the O 0.05 diet was enriched with 0.05% oregano essential oil. Each treatment was allotted to three pens, with four males and four females per pen. Geese were fed for 83 days. Geese in group O 0.05 had greater body weight gain than those in groups G 0.05 and G 0.5 in the first 28 days (P < 0.05), whereas the geese in group O 0.05 also showed greater body weight gain than those in control and G 0.05 groups in total 83 days (P < 0.05). No significant differences in serum creatinine, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, or high-density lipoprotein were observed. Serum glutathione peroxidase concentrations were significantly higher for geese in group G 0.5 (P < 0.05) than for the control group at 83 days of age. At 87days of age, one male and one female per pen were slaughtered, and the caecum contents were collected for gene sequencing by 16S ribosomes. No significant differences in microbial alpha diversity were observed. In conclusion, supplementation with 0.05% oregano essential oil increased body weight gain for 83 days. In addition, supplementation with 0.5% LCM extract increased glutathione peroxidase activity at 83 days of age (P < 0.05). In summary, our study showed that phytogenic feed additives improve growth and have antioxidant and immune properties in geese.