Slaughter and Carcass Traits of Gray Hungarian and German Mast Geese

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the slaughter and carcass traits of Gray Hungarian and German Mast geese raised in a private farm conditions in Kars province, and the effect of genotype and sex on these traits. A total of 113 geese, 71 females (51 Gray Hungarian geese and 20 German Mast geese) and 42 males (28 Gray Hungarian geese and 14 German Mast geese) were slaughtered at approximately 6 months of age. The mean live weights of Gray Hungarian and German Mast geese before slaughter were 4291.96 and 3007.59 g, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between Gray Hungarian and German Mast geese in slaughter and carcass traits except gizzard weight (P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was detected between the two genotypes in terms of hot carcass weight, blood ratio, and feather ratio (P > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in gizzard weight between the sex groups of Gray Hungarian geese (P < 0.01). A statistically significant difference was found only in hot carcass yield among all traits examined between the sex groups of German Mast geese (P < 0.01).
 In conclusion, it was determined that Gray Hungarian geese reared in commercial enterprise breeding conditions in Kars province were generally superior to Mast geese in terms of slaughter and carcass traits. Apart from local goose breeds, it may be suggested to breeders to prefer Gray Hungarian geese compared to German Mast geese to obtain heavy carcasses at an earlier age.