Comparative Analyses of Production Performance, Meat Quality, and Gut Microbial Composition between Two Chinese Goose Breeds

Abstract

Goose meat is consumed by consumers because it contains a relatively high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This study was conducted to explore the main differences in production performance, breast meat quality traits, and cecal microbiota compositions between the Zi goose (ZG) and Xianghai flying goose (FG). The production performance and breast meat quality trait analyses showed that compared with the ZG, the FG had a higher right breast muscle index, ileum villi height/crypt depth ratio (VH/CD), and cecum fermentation rate (higher short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) concentration); a lower abdominal fat index; a higher proportion of PUFAs; and a lower shear force. Spearman's correlation coefficients between the cecal microbiota composition and production performance indexes suggested that the genus Faecalibacterium was positively associated with production performance; in contrast, the genus Candidatus Saccharimonas was negatively correlated with production performance; moreover, the Ruminococcus torques group, Parasutterella, and Methanobrevibacter were negatively related to the VH/CD. Taken together, in this particular trial, FG had better production performance, healthier meat quality traits, and better intestinal digestion and absorption capacities than ZG. These results not only provide a useful data reference for the production of healthy geese for human consumption but can also help guide the utilization of goose breed resources.

Keywords: abdominal fat; cecal microbiota; fatty acids; muscle yield.

Figure 1

Pictures of (A) Zi geese and (B) Xianghai flying geese.

Figure 2

Growth performance and histological characteristics of the two goose breeds. (A) Body weight and (B) right breast muscle weight were measured on the final day of the experiment; (C) abdominal fat index and (D) right breast muscle index were defined as the abdominal fat mass and right breast muscle weight divided by the body weight, respectively; n = 30. H&E staining of the (E) ileum at 40× magnification and (G) breast muscle fiber at 400× magnification. Comparison of histological characteristics of the (F) ileum (villus height, crypt depth, and VH/CD) and (H) breast muscle fiber (muscle fiber diameter, fiber cross-sectional area, and muscle fiber density) of the two goose breeds; n = 9. Vertical bars represent the mean ± SEM. NS: No significant; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001 indicate significant differences between the ZG and FG. ZG, Zi goose; FG, Xianghai flying goose.

Figure 3

Differences in the cecal microbial composition between the two goose breeds. (A) Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) plot showing cecal microbial compositional differences as quantified by (B) Bray–Curtis distance; (C,D) taxonomic compositions; n = 5. *** p < 0.001 and **** p < 0.0001 indicate significant differences between the ZG and FG. ZG, Zi goose; FG, Xianghai flying goose.

Figure 4

Heatmap of major genera of cecal microbiota. * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 indicate significant differences between the ZG and FG. ZG, Zi goose; FG, Xianghai flying goose.

Figure 5

Differences in cecum total SCFA concentrations between the two goose breeds; n = 5. Vertical bars represent the mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and **** p < 0.0001 indicate significant differences between the ZG and FG. ZG, Zi goose; FG, Xianghai flying goose; Total SCFAs, total short-chain fatty acids.

Figure 6

Heatmap of Spearman’s correlation analysis between the cecal microbiota composition and the growth performance indexes of geese. The red color represents a positive correlation, while the blue color represents an inverse correlation. ZG, Zi Goose; FG, Xianghai Flying Goose; AF/WB, abdominal fat index; RBM/WB, right breast muscle index; (abdominal fat index and right breast muscle index were defined as the abdominal fat mass and right breast muscle weight divided by the body weight, respectively); VH/CD, villus height/crypt depth; Total SCFAs, total short-chain fatty acids. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.