Influence of amount and form of sorghum in the diet on the performance of overfed geese

Feeding has high economic and environmental costs in poultry production. The feeding of waterfowl for fatty liver production is largely based on the use of maize as an energy source. The aim of this trial was to study the effect of the form of presentation (whole grain or flour) and the amount (40.5, 56, or 100%, depending on the form) of sorghum in the overfeeding diet on the performance of geese. During overfeeding, a diet mainly composed of sorghum reduced the FCR of the geese and increased the weight of fatty liver, but reduced their commercial grading. The use of sorghum during geese overfeeding offers interesting prospects for a more sustainable fatty liver production system. Indeed, it could reduce the environmental effect of goose feeding while improving the flexibility of production systems, making it possible to use a cereal other than maize for overfeeding.