Effect of housing enrichment on performance, behavior and meat quality of egyptian geese

Background: Avian species play a vital role in livelihood of human beings throughout the world, especially in developing countries. Backyard poultry provides livelihood to large and small farmers, while the poultry industry has a lead role in raising the economic resources of country, especially the agricultural sector. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of housing system enrichment on the performance, behavior and meat quality of Egyptian geese. Materials and Methods: Sixty geese were divided into 2 groups, 30 birds per group according to housing system, geese of the first group reared on a pen supported by a swimming pool, these birds have the chance for swimming, while birds of second group housed in pen without a swimming pool. Body weight of 10 geese from each group was measured every 2 weeks, behavior was observed throughout the study period and at the end of the study, 5 birds from each group were slaughtered for meat analysis. Results: The results showed that a significant difference in body weight and fat percent of meat as affected by housing system for second group birds (p<0.05), also housing system enrichment affected significantly on some behaviors as drinking, body care, comfort and rest and sleep (p<0.05) and (p<0.001). Conclusion: It was concluded that supplying geese house with a swimming pool leads to increase the body care and comfort behavior and give geese low time to rest and sleep on the other hand, it leads to decrease the body weight of geese, also lower the fat percent of the meat.