The Influence of Soybean Meal Supplemented to the Maize Diet of Forced-Fed Geese Upon Their Liver, Organ and Blood Plasma Components

The effect of protein supplementation (ro p. 100 soymeal) to cooked maize diet of forced-fed geese, on fatty liver weight and composition, abdominal adipose tissue, muscles, various organs and blood plasma was studied.The average xx p. 100 increase in liver weights obtained in the soymeal supplemented birds was concomitant with higher fat and lower protein concentrations.Protein supplementation seemed to accelerate liver fat accumulation while lowering abdominal adipose tissue weight and fat concentration in the muscles.The plasma proteins' electrophoretic pattern of the protein supplemented geese showed a faster decrease in plasma albumins and a parallel increase in fi-globulins.Their liver weights were found to be correlated to both the final body and abdominal adipose tissue weights, and their adrenal weights were significantly lower than the controls'.The possible causes of fatty liver formation in the forced-fed goose are dis- cussed.