| 口試日期：2026 |
| 學位類別：碩士 |
| 指導教授：陳志峰 |
| 研究生：莊婷雯 |
| 摘要 |
| In recent years, the goose meat industry has shifted from focusing mainly on production efficiency to placing greater emphasis on meat quality, nutritional value, sustainable production, and animal welfare. Taiwan’s goose industry has long relied on the White Roman goose as the major commercial breed because of its rapid growth and superior reproductive performance. In comparison, Chinese geese possess favorable traits such as thinner subcutaneous fat, desirable meat flavor, and valuable genetic resources. The objective of this study was to establish basic data on growth, reproduction, and genetic parameters of Chinese geese, and to compare growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality traits between White Chinese geese and White Roman geese, in order to evaluate the production potential and industrial application value of Chinese geese as a local meat-type breed. In Experiment 1, White Chinese geese and Brown Chinese geese from the conservation populations at the Northern Region Branch, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, were used. Growth and reproductive data were collected from four annual batches between 2021 and 2024. A total of 689 geese were included in the growth dataset, comprising 398 White Chinese geese and 291 Brown Chinese geese, and body weight, growth curve parameters, genetic parameters, and reproductive traits were compared. In Experiment 2, 20 males and 20 females each of White Chinese geese and White Roman geese were compared for growth performance, feed utilization, carcass composition, abdominal fat, physicochemical properties of breast meat, proximate composition, and sensory evaluation. The results of Experiment 1 showed that the average body weights of White Chinese geese at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age were 98, 1,440, 3,400, 4,309, and 4,587 g, respectively, all higher than those of Brown Chinese geese at 88, 1,405, 3,137, 3,780, and 3,983 g, respectively. Gompertz growth curve analysis showed that both breeds exhibited typical S-shaped growth curves. The asymptotic weight of White Chinese geese was higher than that of Brown Chinese geese (4,803 and 4,130 g, respectively), indicating greater final growth potential. In contrast, Brown Chinese geese had higher maturation rate and initial specific growth rate, and reached the inflection point earlier than White Chinese geese (4.18 and 4.56 weeks of age, respectively), indicating an earlier transition in growth rate. Heritability (h²) estimates for body weight varied by age and breed. Brown Chinese geese showed heritability estimates of 0.88 and 0.54 for birth weight and body weight at 4 weeks of age, respectively, whereas White Chinese geese showed heritability estimates of 0.59 and 0.65 for body weight at 12 and 16 weeks of age, respectively, suggesting that suitable selection stages differed between the two breeds. For reproductive traits, age at first egg (AFE) of White Chinese geese and Brown Chinese geese was 295 and 288 days, respectively; egg weight at first egg (EWFE) was 143 and 121 g, respectively; goose-day egg production rate (DEP) was 22.54% and 22.30%, respectively; and total egg production (TEP) was 19 and 23 eggs, respectively. Because floor-rearing natural mating data were collected at the pen level, and individual egg production records and pedigree information were still insufficient, genetic parameters for reproductive traits were not estimated in this study. The results of Experiment 2 showed that White Roman geese had faster weight gain before 10 weeks of age, whereas White Chinese geese showed steadier and more continuous growth. The dressing percentages of male and female White Chinese geese were 74.07% and 73.01%, respectively, which were higher than those of White Roman geese at 71.93% and 71.24%, respectively. The breast meat ratios of male and female White Chinese geese were 19.34% and 20.47%, respectively, which were also higher than those of White Roman geese at 17.83% and 18.12%, respectively. In addition, the abdominal fat percentage of female White Chinese geese was 3.00%, lower than that of female White Roman geese at 4.10%, indicating higher meat yield and lower fat deposition in White Chinese geese. In terms of meat quality traits, White Roman geese showed better breast meat processing characteristics and sensory acceptability. In conclusion, in this study we established basic data on growth, reproduction, and genetic parameters of Chinese geese, and clarified differences in growth, carcass, and meat quality traits between White Chinese geese and White Roman geese. Chinese geese showed different genetic improvement potential at different growth stages; therefore, stage-specific selection strategies may be developed according to age and breed characteristics to improve growth performance while maintaining genetic diversity. White Chinese geese and White Roman geese showed different advantages in growth efficiency, carcass composition, and meat quality, suggesting that these breeds may be utilized according to market demands and product positioning. In the future, integrating genetic selection, breed conservation, precision nutrition, environmental control, and crossbreeding strategies may help balance production efficiency, meat quality improvement, and conservation of native genetic resources, thereby enhancing the competitiveness and sustainable development of Taiwan’s goose meat industry. Keywords: Chinese goose, breed, genetic parameters, growth curve, meat quality |