Current IssueSpecial IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive
Current IssueSpecial IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive

Full Research Article

Phenotypic Characterization of Domestic Indigenous Geese of Assam, India: An Insight of a Novel Germplasm

A
Ankita Gogoi1,*
B
Bula Das1
A
Arpana Das1
A
Arundhati Phookan1
A
Adib Haque2
R
Rupam Dutta3
P
Prasanta Chabukdhara4
1Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
2Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
3Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
4Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, North Lakhimpur-787 051, Assam, India.

ABSTRACT

Background: The primary objective of the present study was to comprehensively characterize and document the phenotypic diversity of unique and unadulterated germplasm of indigenous geese, which is traditionally reared across various agro-ecological zones of Assam, India. This involved a detailed assessment of a wide range of observable physical and morphological traits. This documentation is crucial for conservation and sustainable utilization of this native germplasm, ensuring the resilience and adaptability to local environments.

Methods: Field data pertaining to 1005 numbers of birds collected using stratified random sampling from five districts of Assam viz., Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Golaghat. Qualitative traits (e.g., plumage, bill, eye, skin, shank and feet color) were recorded through direct observation. Body weights were measured at hatch, 4 and 8 weeks and at 3, 6, 8 and 12 months of age. Least-squares ANOVA was applied to assess the effects of location and sex of bird.

Result: Two plumage colors, cinnamon (62.38%) and white (37.62%) were observed. Bill color was detected to be black (49.08%), orange (35.33%,), yellow (13.24%) and mixture of black and orange (2.35%). Shank and feet color were orange (75.32%), yellow (21.67%) and mixture of black and orange color (3.01%). Black (60.14%), brown (28.49%) and blue (11.37%) eye color was recorded. The overall LSM±SE for body weights (g) at hatching, 4 week, 8 week, 6 month, 8 month, 12 month of age were found to be 89.85±0.11, 66.89±1.21,1761.90±2.08,3305.42±4.63, 3575.80±10.61 and 3804.84±3.91, respectively. Significant effects (P<0.01) of location and sex of bird on body weight were observed. Age at first lay, annual egg production, clutch size and clutch interval were found to be 323.02±0.302 days, 21.51±0.180 numbers, 9.87±0.098 numbers and 64.48±0.655 days, respectively. Two laying cycles, viz., September to October and December to February were observed. The findings of the present investigation can help in development of breed descriptors and serve as a preliminary guide to plan further research for developing conservation programs of Assamese geese genetic resources.

INTRODUCTION

The preservation and conservation of native biodiversity require the popularisation of autochthonous poultry species. It is well known that the key strategy in endorsing indigenous breeds is characterization of morphological, growth, production and reproduction traits. In India, a substantial population of geese is found in the northeastern region, particularly Assam (Islam et al., 2002; Hoque et al., 2023). The domestic geese belong to the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae and genus Anser (Buckland and Guy, 2002). They exhibit two primary types, the greylag goose (Anser anser), ancestor of many domestic breeds, including indigenous geese in Egypt and Europe; and the swan goose (Anser cygnoides), predecessor of the Chinese and African goose breeds (Silversides et al., 1988; Scherf, 2000; Abdel-Kafy et al., 2021; Azalou et al., 2024). They were one of the first birds to be domesticated in Europe towards the fourth millennia before BC (Kozak, 2019), while in Asia, there is evidence of early goose domestication from 7000 years ago (Eda et al., 2022; Karadağ and Kırmızıbayrak, 2025). These birds were kept for meat, eggs, fat and down, as well as in the cult sphere (Serjeantson, 2002; Albarella, 2005; Koch, 2014; Kozak, 2021). However, the earliest notable reference of geese in Assam, India could be unearthed in one of the oldest ruined temples at Dah Parbatiya near Tezpur, Assam (Vogel, 1962). This evidently suggests the aboriginal existence of geese from time immemorial in Assam. The farmers maintain distinct populations of domestic geese, prized for fast quartile growth rate, huge body size (NRC, 1991), large edible eggs (Gogoi et al., 2021), desirable meat flavour (Gogoi et al., 2020) and highly nutrient dense meat (Joseph, 2019). They also prove to be vigilant watch guards and efficient biological weeders (Rayan et al., 2022; Hoque et al., 2023). During the off-cultivation season, they are released in the paddy fields for weeding purposes. Due to their agile neck, they can pull weeds close to and within the crop plants and leave a nitrogen rich manure in the fields. They possess excellent broodiness in spite of being poor layers. The parental care is mutual and they work profoundly for survival of the goslings under foraging conditions. Despite the low contribution to total poultry production, geese contribute significantly to the reduction of household poverty in developing countries (Azalou et al., 2024). Of late, there is also growing interest for organic poultry and their products in consumers (Kirmizibayrak and Kuru, 2018). In this context, it was observed that the native geese in Assam are kept in free range foraging system and which is as near as likely to organic production environments. Hence, there lies a great prospect for geese farmers to play a vital role in fulfilling the consumer demand. Despite their economic importance, their declining numbers pose a threat to their survival, highlighting the need for conservation efforts. Moreover, there is a renewed interest in native germplasm which stems from the unique hardiness of these breeds, their ability to thrive in adverse conditions and the desirable taste of their meat and eggs. Although they exist as numerically small populations, local breeds are not only highly adapted to the natural environment, but are also an integral part of the lifestyle of the rural people. There is no second thought that the key strategy in endorsing indigenous breeds is information on phenotypic traits. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to describe the phenotypic diversity of this pristine germplasm of Assam, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was conducted according to protocols that were approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee approval no. 770/GO/Re/S/03/CPCSEA/ FVSc/AAU/IAEC/20-21/882 dated 31.07.2021. The study was carried out during the period from September, 2020 to January, 2022 and data were collected from Dhemaji (27.4811°N, 94.5573°E), Dibrugarh (27.4705°N, 94.9125°E), Golaghat (26.5239°N, 93.9623°E), Lakhimpur (27.2064°N, 94.1514°E) and Sivasagar (26.9826°N, 94.6425°E) districts of Assam, following a random stratified sampling design (Fig 1). Records from 794 birds were used to study body weight and data from 211 birds were collected for recording the egg production and reproduction parameters. The questionnaire was prepared as per the guidelines provided by National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana for poultry genetic resources. The qualitative data focused on plumage characteristics (color of the bill, eye, skin, shank and feet) were recorded based on observation of each bird subjected to phenotypic description. The body weight of the geese at different ages (Hatching, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 8 months and 12 months) were recorded.

Fig 1: Map of Assam showing location of the study.


       
According to the different districts of Assam under the current study, the entire data set was classified into D1 = Lakhimpur, D2 = Dhemaji, D3 = Sivasagar, D4 = Dibrugarh and D5 = Golaghat and gender of the bird into M = Male and F = Female. The least-square analysis of variance technique (Harvey, 1990) was used to study the effect of different non-genetic factors. The statistical model constructed to study various effects on body weights were:
 
 Yijk= µ + Di + Sj+ eijk
 
Where,
Yij= kth record belonging to ith location and jth sex.
µ= Overall population mean.
Li= ith location effect.
Sj= Sex effect.
eijk= Random error component presumed to be NID (0, σe2).    
Similarly, for production traits model was:
 
Yij= µ + Di + eij 
 
Where,
Yij= ith record for ith location;
µ= Overall population mean;
Li= ith location effect.
eijk= Random error.
       
Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT), as modified by Kramer (1957) was used for pair wise comparisons among least squares means (LSMs).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Morphological observations
 
Table 1 summarizes the morphological traits of adult Assamese geese and Fig 2 depicts male and female birds. The plumage colour varied significantly across life stages, where goslings showed yellow and blackish-yellow colour, while adults exhibited cinnamon and white plumage. Similar patterns were reported by Banerjee (2013); Islam et al., (2016); Hamadani and Khan (2016a) and Hoque (2021). Echols (2015) associated cinnamon coloration with brown varieties in other breeds. No sexual dimorphism in plumage colour was observed, aligning with Buckland and Guy (2002). The earlier reports by Gordon (1938) and Quinn (1939), however, noted dimorphism in Alabama and Pilgrim geese. The bill colour variations included black (49.08%), orange (35.33%), yellow (13.24%) and mixed (2.35%). These results align with Phookan et al., (2020), although Hoque (2021) reported slightly different proportions. Other studies have reported similar diversity in geese worldwide (Buckland and Guy, 2002; Juodka et al., 2012; Islam et al., 2016). Skin colour was uniformly white, as also observed by Banerjee (2013) and Macharia et al., (2017). The shank and foot colour were predominantly orange (75.32%), followed by yellow (21.67%) and mixed (3.01%), consistent with other reports. The eye colour included black, brown and blue, echoing findings by Juodka et al., (2012) and Islam et al., (2016), though grey was also noted by Hamadani and Khan (2016a), Phookan et al., (2020) and Hoque (2021). The morphological traits are illustrated in Fig 3.

Table 1: Per cent distribution of different morphological traits in domestic geese of assam at adult stage.



Fig 2: A. Gander, B. Geese.



Fig 3: Different morphological traits in native geese of Assam at adult stage.


 
Body weight
 
The LSM±SE for body weight at different ages is summarised in Table 2. The average hatching weight was found to be 89.85±0.11 g, comparable to values reported for Kashmir Anz and Nilgiri Hill geese (Hamadani et al., 2014b; Kumar et al., 2015) and slightly higher than Hoque (2021). Significant (P<0.01) effects of location and sex were observed, contrary to findings by Kumar et al., (2015). The weights at 4 and 8 weeks were 566.89±1.21 g and 1761.90±2.08 g, respectively, which were higher than earlier reports for local and Bangladeshi geese (Hoque, 2021; Islam et al., 2016). Saatci and Tilki (2007) reported much higher values for Turkish geese. The location and sex of the bird had a significant (P<0.01) effect, aligning with Islam et al., (2016). At 3 months, weight was 2867.22±5.19 g, similar to the findings of Hamadani et al., (2014b), but higher than Hoque (2021). At 6 months, it was 3305.42±4.63 g, higher than other Indian reports but lower than those for Lithuanian and Large Grey geese. Both location and sex significantly (P<0.01) affected weights, supporting Kumar et al., (2015). The body weights were 3575.80±10.61 g and 3804.84±3.91 g at 8 and 12 months, respectively. These values exceeded some indigenous goose weights (Hamadani et al., 2014b; Hoque, 2021), but were lower than exotic breeds (Buckland and Guy, 2002). Males consistently weighed more, supporting general findings in poultry (Burke and Sharp, 1989).

Table 2: LSM±SE for body weight at different ages as per districts and sex of bird along with DMRT in indigenous geese of Assam.


 
Reproductive performance traits
 
The LSM±SE for reproductive performance traits as per districts is given in Table 3. The mean AFL was 323.02±0.30 days, similar to Hoque (2021). The earlier AFL was reported by Banerjee (2013) and Islam et al., (2016), while exotic breeds mature earlier (Juodka et al., 2012; Buckland and Guy, 2002). Significant district-wise variation was observed. The average annual egg production (AEP) was 21.51±0.18 eggs, aligning with studies from Assam and Bangladesh (Islam et al., 2002; Islam et al., 2016). Higher numbers were reported in West Bengal (Banerjee, 2013) and exotic Chinese breeds (Guo et al., 2021). The Cotton Pygmy and Kashmir Anz geese produced fewer eggs (Upadhyaya and Saikia, 2012; Hamadani et al., 2014a). The Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts showed the highest AEP, possibly due to lower body weight. Various factors like breed, nutrition and climate might influence egg production (Banerjee, 2013). The mean clutch size was 9.87±0.098 eggs, consistent with Hoque (2021) and Hamadani et al., (2014b). The average clutch interval was 64.48±0.655 days, longer than reported by Hoque (2021). Two laying cycles (Sept-Oct and Dec-Feb) were observed, aligning with Wurtz (1995) and Hoque (2021). While local geese lay two clutches per year, some exotic breeds lay up to four (Buckland and Guy, 2002). Kashmir geese reportedly lay once annually (Hamadani and Khan, 2016b). The indigenous geese of Assam laid on alternate days, remaining in lay for 18-22 days, similar to the findings of (Qin et al., 2013 and Kumar et al., 2015). All native Assamese geese exhibited broody behaviour. The fertility and hatchability (TES) were recorded at 91.38±6.83% and 86.50±7.59%, respectively. The mortality rate at different age groups of 0 to 1 week, 1 to 8 weeks and 8 to 20 weeks were found to be 22.58, 15.24 and 11.72%.   

Table 3: LSM±SE for egg production traits as per districts along with DMRT in native geese of Assam.

CONCLUSION

In the studied population, cinnamon plumage was predominant as compared to white, the low proportion of other phenotypes suggests a significant influence of random crosses in these birds. In general, the body weight of male geese was higher than those of females. The marked dimorphism between the two sexes in terms of body weight can allow breeders, under current breeding conditions, to select males early for meat production. The highest values for body weights at all the ages were observed in Golaghat district (D5). This finding may be attributed to following of good managemental practices like providing supplementary feed e.g., rice husk, rice polish and broken rice to the geese after day long foraging. The presence of green grasses, paddy fields and water bodies during whole year might also aid in higher body weight gain. The near-by local market for native geese encouraged the farmers to take good care of their flocks. This sustains the commercial significance of this valuable germplasm of Assam. Based on these findings, it may be opined that native domestic geese of Assam have promising role as alternate species for backyard poultry meat production. The detailed study made on the morphometric, growth, reproductive and production traits would help in development of breed descriptors for this valuable native germplasm and baseline reference for future studies.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors acknowledge all the farmers who had cooperated for data collection. The authors are thankful to College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Guwahati and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Joyhing for the facilities provided to carry out the research work.
 
Disclaimers
 
The views and conclusions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their affiliated institutions. The authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, but do not accept any liability for any direct or indirect losses resulting from the use of this content.
 
Informed consent
 
All animal procedures for experiments were approved by the Committee of Experimental Animal care and handling techniques were approved by the University of Animal Care Committee.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. No funding or sponsorship influenced the design of the study, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

REFERENCES


  1. Abdel-Kafy, E.S.M., Ramadan, S., Ali, W.H., Sabbah F., Youssef, S.F., Shabaan, H.A., El-Deighadi, A. and Inoue-Murayama, M. (2021). Genetic and phenotypic characterization of domestic geese (Anser anser) in Egypt. Animals. 11: 3106. 

  2. Albarella, U. (2005). The role of domestic ducks and geese from roman to medieval times in Britain. Documenta Archaeobiologiae. 3: 249-258.

  3. Azalou, M., Assani, A.S., Kpomasse, C.C., Tona, K., Alkoiret, I.T. and Pitala, W. (2024). Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of domestic geese raised in northern Benin. Poultry Science. 103: 103563.

  4. Banerjee, S. (2013). Morphological traits of duck and geese breeds of West Bengal, India. Animal Genetic Resources. 52: 1-16. 

  5. Buckland, R. and Guy, G. (2002). Goose Production. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper - 154. ISBN 92-5-104862- 2, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

  6. Burke, W.H. and Sharp, P.J. (1989). Sex differences in body weight of chicken embryos1. Poultry Science. 68(6): 805-810.

  7. Echols, M.S. (2015). Anseriforme Husbandry and Management. In: Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, A Guide to Veterinary Practitioners, First ed. edited by Greenacre, C.B. and Morishita, T.Y.  34-71, USA: Wiley Blackwell.

  8. Eda, M., Itahashi, Y., Kikuchi, H., Sun, G., Hsu, K.H., Gakuhari, T., Yoneda, M., Jiang, L., Yang, G. and Nakamura, S. (2022). Multiple lines of evidence of early goose domestication in a 7,000-y-old rice cultivation village in the lower Yangtze River, China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119(12): e2117064119.   

  9. Gogoi, A., Das, B., Pame, K., Chabukdhara, P., Phookan, A., Pathak, S.S. and Bordoloi, G. (2020). Carcass characteristics of indigenous geese reared under backyard system. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 9(12): 3507-3511.

  10. Gogoi, A., Das, B., Phookan, A., Chabukdhara, P., Pathak, S.S., Pame, K. and Hoque, H. (2021). Evaluation of physical egg quality traits in indigenous geese of Upper Assam.  International Journal of Genetics. 13(2): 804-806.

  11. Gordon, C.D. (1938). Sexual dimorphism in the down color and adult plumage of geese. The Journal of Heredity. 29(9): 335-337.

  12. Guo, Y., Zhao, Z.H., Huang, R.S., Chen, X.Q., Li, L.X., Balasubramanian, B., Jia, R.M. and W.C. Liu, W.C. (2021). Comparative study on reproductive performance of black and yellow- footed Chinese indigenous goose (Shitou goose) under off season production conditions. The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences. 31(2): 630-634.

  13. Hamadani, H. and Khan, A.A. (2016a). Morphological characterization with special reference to colour variations in domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus). Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 86(4): 445-448.

  14. Hamadani, H. and Khan, A. A. (2016b). Documentation of the normally expressed behaviours of domestic geese. International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research. 6(1): 261-266.

  15. Hamadani, H., Khan, A.A., Ganai, T.A.S., Banday, M.T. and Hamadani, A. (2014a). Growth and production traits of domestic geese in local conditions of Kashmir, India. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 84(5): 578-579.

  16. Hamadani, H., Khan, A.A., Mir, M.S., Banday, M.T., Ganai, T.A.S. and Hamadani, A. (2014b). Morphometric characterization of local geese in the valley of Kashmir. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 84(9): 978-981.

  17. Harvey, W.R. (1990). User’s Guide for LSMLMW. Mixed Model L.S Maximum Likelihood computer programme PC-Version 2. Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.

  18. Hoque, H. (2021). Characterization of Indigenous Geese of Assam. M.V.Sc. Thesis. Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam.

  19. Hoque, H., Phookan, A., Goswami, R. N., Kalita, D., Das, B., Das, A., Hussain, J. and Khanikar, D. (2023). Characterization and performance evaluation of indigenous geese of Assam. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 93: 62-66. 

  20. Islam, M.F., Mia, M.M., Rahman, M.A. and Bhowmik, N. (2016). Morphometric, productive and reproductive traits of indigenous goose of Bangladesh. Animal Genetic Resources. 59(12): 37-45.

  21. Islam, R., Mahanta, J.D., Barua, N. and Zaman, G. (2002). Duck farming in North-Eastern (Assam). World’s Poultry Science Journal. 58(12): 567-572. 

  22. Joseph M. (2019). Goose Meat: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. http://www.nutritionadvance.com. 

  23. Juodka, R., Kiskiene, A., Skurdeniene, I., Ribikauskas, V. and Nainiene, R. (2012). Lithuanian vishtines goose breed. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 68(3): 51-62. 

  24. Karadağ, S. and Kırmızıbayrak, T. (2025). Egg production and traits and hatching traits of geese in the first and next laying seasons. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 59(12): 1974-1981. doi: 10.18805/IJAR.BF-1897.

  25. Kirmizibayrak, T. and Kuru, B.B. (2018). Slaughter and carcass traits of geese with different feather colour and gender. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science. 20(4): 759-764.

  26. Koch, I. (2014). Goose keeping, elite emulation and egyptianized feasting at late bronze lachish. Tel Aviv. 41: 161-179.

  27. Kozak, J. (2021). Goose production and goose products. Journal of World’s Poultry Science. 77: 403-414.

  28. Kozak, J. (2019). Variations of geese under domestication. Journal of World’s Poultry Science. 75: 247-260.

  29. Kramer, C.R. (1957). Extension of Multiple range tests to group correlated means. Biometrics. 13: 13-18.

  30. Kumar, A.R., Iyue, M. and Venkataramanan, R. (2015). Growth and hatch performance of geese in hilly terrain of Nilgiris. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 85(10): 1117-1119.

  31. Macharia, J.W., Mberu, M.N., Wamuyu, L., Imboma, T., Lichoti, J.K., Ngeiywa, K.J. and Ommeh, S.C. (2017). Phenotypic analysis of underutilized poultry species in Kenya. Livestock Research for Rural Development. 29(5): 1-10. 

  32. National Research Council. (1991). Microlivestock: Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future. National Academy Press, USA, pp 101-113.

  33. Phookan, A., Das, B., Hoque, H., Gogoi, A. and Sarma, M. (2020). Morphological and morphometric attributes of adult indigenous geese of Assam. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 9(11): 3791-3795.

  34. Qin, Q.M., Sun A.R., Guo, M., Lei, S. and Shi, Z. (2013). The characteristics of oviposition and hormonal and gene regulation of ovarian follicle development in Magang geese. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 11: 65-75.

  35. Quinn, J.P. (1939). Sexual dimorphism in down and adult plumage of the pilgrim goose. The Journal of Heredity. 30(2): 55-57.

  36. Rayan, G.N., Makram, A., Hanafy, A., EL-Dien, A.Z. and ELAttar, A.H. (2022). Carcass traits of geese (Anser anser) as affected by age, gender and their interactions. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 56(11): 1416-1421. doi: 10.18805/IJAR.BF-1559.

  37. Silversides, F.G., Crawford, R.D. and Wang, H.C. (1988). The cytogenetics of domestic geese. Journal of Hereditary. 79: 6 8. 

  38. Saatci, M. and Tilki, M. (2007). Zoometrical body measurements and their relation with liveweight in native Turkish geese. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. 31(1): 47-53.

  39. Scherf, B.D. (2000). World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity.

  40. Serjeantson, D. (2002). Goose husbandry in Medieval England and the problem of ageing goose bones. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. 45: 39-54.    

  41. Upadhyaya, S. and Saikia, P.K. (2012). Clutch size and egg characteristics of cotton pygmy-goose in Assam (India). Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 1(1): 31-34.

  42. Vogel, J.P. (1962). The Goose in Indian Literature and Art (No. 2). Brill Archive.

  43. Wurtz, T.L. (1995). Domestic geese: Biological weed control in an agricultural setting. Ecological Applications. 5(3): 570- 578.
Published In
Indian Journal of Animal Research
Article Metrics
Metrics Icon
26
Views
0
Citations
Reviewed By
Share Article
Download Article
In this Article
    Contact us
    Follow us

    Full Research Article

    Phenotypic Characterization of Domestic Indigenous Geese of Assam, India: An Insight of a Novel Germplasm

    A
    Ankita Gogoi1,*
    B
    Bula Das1
    A
    Arpana Das1
    A
    Arundhati Phookan1
    A
    Adib Haque2
    R
    Rupam Dutta3
    P
    Prasanta Chabukdhara4
    1Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
    2Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
    3Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati-781 022, Assam, India.
    4Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, North Lakhimpur-787 051, Assam, India.

    ABSTRACT

    Background: The primary objective of the present study was to comprehensively characterize and document the phenotypic diversity of unique and unadulterated germplasm of indigenous geese, which is traditionally reared across various agro-ecological zones of Assam, India. This involved a detailed assessment of a wide range of observable physical and morphological traits. This documentation is crucial for conservation and sustainable utilization of this native germplasm, ensuring the resilience and adaptability to local environments.

    Methods: Field data pertaining to 1005 numbers of birds collected using stratified random sampling from five districts of Assam viz., Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Golaghat. Qualitative traits (e.g., plumage, bill, eye, skin, shank and feet color) were recorded through direct observation. Body weights were measured at hatch, 4 and 8 weeks and at 3, 6, 8 and 12 months of age. Least-squares ANOVA was applied to assess the effects of location and sex of bird.

    Result: Two plumage colors, cinnamon (62.38%) and white (37.62%) were observed. Bill color was detected to be black (49.08%), orange (35.33%,), yellow (13.24%) and mixture of black and orange (2.35%). Shank and feet color were orange (75.32%), yellow (21.67%) and mixture of black and orange color (3.01%). Black (60.14%), brown (28.49%) and blue (11.37%) eye color was recorded. The overall LSM±SE for body weights (g) at hatching, 4 week, 8 week, 6 month, 8 month, 12 month of age were found to be 89.85±0.11, 66.89±1.21,1761.90±2.08,3305.42±4.63, 3575.80±10.61 and 3804.84±3.91, respectively. Significant effects (P<0.01) of location and sex of bird on body weight were observed. Age at first lay, annual egg production, clutch size and clutch interval were found to be 323.02±0.302 days, 21.51±0.180 numbers, 9.87±0.098 numbers and 64.48±0.655 days, respectively. Two laying cycles, viz., September to October and December to February were observed. The findings of the present investigation can help in development of breed descriptors and serve as a preliminary guide to plan further research for developing conservation programs of Assamese geese genetic resources.

    INTRODUCTION

    The preservation and conservation of native biodiversity require the popularisation of autochthonous poultry species. It is well known that the key strategy in endorsing indigenous breeds is characterization of morphological, growth, production and reproduction traits. In India, a substantial population of geese is found in the northeastern region, particularly Assam (Islam et al., 2002; Hoque et al., 2023). The domestic geese belong to the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae and genus Anser (Buckland and Guy, 2002). They exhibit two primary types, the greylag goose (Anser anser), ancestor of many domestic breeds, including indigenous geese in Egypt and Europe; and the swan goose (Anser cygnoides), predecessor of the Chinese and African goose breeds (Silversides et al., 1988; Scherf, 2000; Abdel-Kafy et al., 2021; Azalou et al., 2024). They were one of the first birds to be domesticated in Europe towards the fourth millennia before BC (Kozak, 2019), while in Asia, there is evidence of early goose domestication from 7000 years ago (Eda et al., 2022; Karadağ and Kırmızıbayrak, 2025). These birds were kept for meat, eggs, fat and down, as well as in the cult sphere (Serjeantson, 2002; Albarella, 2005; Koch, 2014; Kozak, 2021). However, the earliest notable reference of geese in Assam, India could be unearthed in one of the oldest ruined temples at Dah Parbatiya near Tezpur, Assam (Vogel, 1962). This evidently suggests the aboriginal existence of geese from time immemorial in Assam. The farmers maintain distinct populations of domestic geese, prized for fast quartile growth rate, huge body size (NRC, 1991), large edible eggs (Gogoi et al., 2021), desirable meat flavour (Gogoi et al., 2020) and highly nutrient dense meat (Joseph, 2019). They also prove to be vigilant watch guards and efficient biological weeders (Rayan et al., 2022; Hoque et al., 2023). During the off-cultivation season, they are released in the paddy fields for weeding purposes. Due to their agile neck, they can pull weeds close to and within the crop plants and leave a nitrogen rich manure in the fields. They possess excellent broodiness in spite of being poor layers. The parental care is mutual and they work profoundly for survival of the goslings under foraging conditions. Despite the low contribution to total poultry production, geese contribute significantly to the reduction of household poverty in developing countries (Azalou et al., 2024). Of late, there is also growing interest for organic poultry and their products in consumers (Kirmizibayrak and Kuru, 2018). In this context, it was observed that the native geese in Assam are kept in free range foraging system and which is as near as likely to organic production environments. Hence, there lies a great prospect for geese farmers to play a vital role in fulfilling the consumer demand. Despite their economic importance, their declining numbers pose a threat to their survival, highlighting the need for conservation efforts. Moreover, there is a renewed interest in native germplasm which stems from the unique hardiness of these breeds, their ability to thrive in adverse conditions and the desirable taste of their meat and eggs. Although they exist as numerically small populations, local breeds are not only highly adapted to the natural environment, but are also an integral part of the lifestyle of the rural people. There is no second thought that the key strategy in endorsing indigenous breeds is information on phenotypic traits. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to describe the phenotypic diversity of this pristine germplasm of Assam, India.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    The present study was conducted according to protocols that were approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee approval no. 770/GO/Re/S/03/CPCSEA/ FVSc/AAU/IAEC/20-21/882 dated 31.07.2021. The study was carried out during the period from September, 2020 to January, 2022 and data were collected from Dhemaji (27.4811°N, 94.5573°E), Dibrugarh (27.4705°N, 94.9125°E), Golaghat (26.5239°N, 93.9623°E), Lakhimpur (27.2064°N, 94.1514°E) and Sivasagar (26.9826°N, 94.6425°E) districts of Assam, following a random stratified sampling design (Fig 1). Records from 794 birds were used to study body weight and data from 211 birds were collected for recording the egg production and reproduction parameters. The questionnaire was prepared as per the guidelines provided by National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana for poultry genetic resources. The qualitative data focused on plumage characteristics (color of the bill, eye, skin, shank and feet) were recorded based on observation of each bird subjected to phenotypic description. The body weight of the geese at different ages (Hatching, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 8 months and 12 months) were recorded.

    Fig 1: Map of Assam showing location of the study.


           
    According to the different districts of Assam under the current study, the entire data set was classified into D1 = Lakhimpur, D2 = Dhemaji, D3 = Sivasagar, D4 = Dibrugarh and D5 = Golaghat and gender of the bird into M = Male and F = Female. The least-square analysis of variance technique (Harvey, 1990) was used to study the effect of different non-genetic factors. The statistical model constructed to study various effects on body weights were:
     
     Yijk= µ + Di + Sj+ eijk
     
    Where,
    Yij= kth record belonging to ith location and jth sex.
    µ= Overall population mean.
    Li= ith location effect.
    Sj= Sex effect.
    eijk= Random error component presumed to be NID (0, σe2).    
    Similarly, for production traits model was:
     
    Yij= µ + Di + eij 
     
    Where,
    Yij= ith record for ith location;
    µ= Overall population mean;
    Li= ith location effect.
    eijk= Random error.
           
    Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT), as modified by Kramer (1957) was used for pair wise comparisons among least squares means (LSMs).

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    Morphological observations
     
    Table 1 summarizes the morphological traits of adult Assamese geese and Fig 2 depicts male and female birds. The plumage colour varied significantly across life stages, where goslings showed yellow and blackish-yellow colour, while adults exhibited cinnamon and white plumage. Similar patterns were reported by Banerjee (2013); Islam et al., (2016); Hamadani and Khan (2016a) and Hoque (2021). Echols (2015) associated cinnamon coloration with brown varieties in other breeds. No sexual dimorphism in plumage colour was observed, aligning with Buckland and Guy (2002). The earlier reports by Gordon (1938) and Quinn (1939), however, noted dimorphism in Alabama and Pilgrim geese. The bill colour variations included black (49.08%), orange (35.33%), yellow (13.24%) and mixed (2.35%). These results align with Phookan et al., (2020), although Hoque (2021) reported slightly different proportions. Other studies have reported similar diversity in geese worldwide (Buckland and Guy, 2002; Juodka et al., 2012; Islam et al., 2016). Skin colour was uniformly white, as also observed by Banerjee (2013) and Macharia et al., (2017). The shank and foot colour were predominantly orange (75.32%), followed by yellow (21.67%) and mixed (3.01%), consistent with other reports. The eye colour included black, brown and blue, echoing findings by Juodka et al., (2012) and Islam et al., (2016), though grey was also noted by Hamadani and Khan (2016a), Phookan et al., (2020) and Hoque (2021). The morphological traits are illustrated in Fig 3.

    Table 1: Per cent distribution of different morphological traits in domestic geese of assam at adult stage.



    Fig 2: A. Gander, B. Geese.



    Fig 3: Different morphological traits in native geese of Assam at adult stage.


     
    Body weight
     
    The LSM±SE for body weight at different ages is summarised in Table 2. The average hatching weight was found to be 89.85±0.11 g, comparable to values reported for Kashmir Anz and Nilgiri Hill geese (Hamadani et al., 2014b; Kumar et al., 2015) and slightly higher than Hoque (2021). Significant (P<0.01) effects of location and sex were observed, contrary to findings by Kumar et al., (2015). The weights at 4 and 8 weeks were 566.89±1.21 g and 1761.90±2.08 g, respectively, which were higher than earlier reports for local and Bangladeshi geese (Hoque, 2021; Islam et al., 2016). Saatci and Tilki (2007) reported much higher values for Turkish geese. The location and sex of the bird had a significant (P<0.01) effect, aligning with Islam et al., (2016). At 3 months, weight was 2867.22±5.19 g, similar to the findings of Hamadani et al., (2014b), but higher than Hoque (2021). At 6 months, it was 3305.42±4.63 g, higher than other Indian reports but lower than those for Lithuanian and Large Grey geese. Both location and sex significantly (P<0.01) affected weights, supporting Kumar et al., (2015). The body weights were 3575.80±10.61 g and 3804.84±3.91 g at 8 and 12 months, respectively. These values exceeded some indigenous goose weights (Hamadani et al., 2014b; Hoque, 2021), but were lower than exotic breeds (Buckland and Guy, 2002). Males consistently weighed more, supporting general findings in poultry (Burke and Sharp, 1989).

    Table 2: LSM±SE for body weight at different ages as per districts and sex of bird along with DMRT in indigenous geese of Assam.


     
    Reproductive performance traits
     
    The LSM±SE for reproductive performance traits as per districts is given in Table 3. The mean AFL was 323.02±0.30 days, similar to Hoque (2021). The earlier AFL was reported by Banerjee (2013) and Islam et al., (2016), while exotic breeds mature earlier (Juodka et al., 2012; Buckland and Guy, 2002). Significant district-wise variation was observed. The average annual egg production (AEP) was 21.51±0.18 eggs, aligning with studies from Assam and Bangladesh (Islam et al., 2002; Islam et al., 2016). Higher numbers were reported in West Bengal (Banerjee, 2013) and exotic Chinese breeds (Guo et al., 2021). The Cotton Pygmy and Kashmir Anz geese produced fewer eggs (Upadhyaya and Saikia, 2012; Hamadani et al., 2014a). The Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts showed the highest AEP, possibly due to lower body weight. Various factors like breed, nutrition and climate might influence egg production (Banerjee, 2013). The mean clutch size was 9.87±0.098 eggs, consistent with Hoque (2021) and Hamadani et al., (2014b). The average clutch interval was 64.48±0.655 days, longer than reported by Hoque (2021). Two laying cycles (Sept-Oct and Dec-Feb) were observed, aligning with Wurtz (1995) and Hoque (2021). While local geese lay two clutches per year, some exotic breeds lay up to four (Buckland and Guy, 2002). Kashmir geese reportedly lay once annually (Hamadani and Khan, 2016b). The indigenous geese of Assam laid on alternate days, remaining in lay for 18-22 days, similar to the findings of (Qin et al., 2013 and Kumar et al., 2015). All native Assamese geese exhibited broody behaviour. The fertility and hatchability (TES) were recorded at 91.38±6.83% and 86.50±7.59%, respectively. The mortality rate at different age groups of 0 to 1 week, 1 to 8 weeks and 8 to 20 weeks were found to be 22.58, 15.24 and 11.72%.   

    Table 3: LSM±SE for egg production traits as per districts along with DMRT in native geese of Assam.

    CONCLUSION

    In the studied population, cinnamon plumage was predominant as compared to white, the low proportion of other phenotypes suggests a significant influence of random crosses in these birds. In general, the body weight of male geese was higher than those of females. The marked dimorphism between the two sexes in terms of body weight can allow breeders, under current breeding conditions, to select males early for meat production. The highest values for body weights at all the ages were observed in Golaghat district (D5). This finding may be attributed to following of good managemental practices like providing supplementary feed e.g., rice husk, rice polish and broken rice to the geese after day long foraging. The presence of green grasses, paddy fields and water bodies during whole year might also aid in higher body weight gain. The near-by local market for native geese encouraged the farmers to take good care of their flocks. This sustains the commercial significance of this valuable germplasm of Assam. Based on these findings, it may be opined that native domestic geese of Assam have promising role as alternate species for backyard poultry meat production. The detailed study made on the morphometric, growth, reproductive and production traits would help in development of breed descriptors for this valuable native germplasm and baseline reference for future studies.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    The authors acknowledge all the farmers who had cooperated for data collection. The authors are thankful to College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Guwahati and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Joyhing for the facilities provided to carry out the research work.
     
    Disclaimers
     
    The views and conclusions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their affiliated institutions. The authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, but do not accept any liability for any direct or indirect losses resulting from the use of this content.
     
    Informed consent
     
    All animal procedures for experiments were approved by the Committee of Experimental Animal care and handling techniques were approved by the University of Animal Care Committee.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. No funding or sponsorship influenced the design of the study, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

    REFERENCES


    1. Abdel-Kafy, E.S.M., Ramadan, S., Ali, W.H., Sabbah F., Youssef, S.F., Shabaan, H.A., El-Deighadi, A. and Inoue-Murayama, M. (2021). Genetic and phenotypic characterization of domestic geese (Anser anser) in Egypt. Animals. 11: 3106. 

    2. Albarella, U. (2005). The role of domestic ducks and geese from roman to medieval times in Britain. Documenta Archaeobiologiae. 3: 249-258.

    3. Azalou, M., Assani, A.S., Kpomasse, C.C., Tona, K., Alkoiret, I.T. and Pitala, W. (2024). Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of domestic geese raised in northern Benin. Poultry Science. 103: 103563.

    4. Banerjee, S. (2013). Morphological traits of duck and geese breeds of West Bengal, India. Animal Genetic Resources. 52: 1-16. 

    5. Buckland, R. and Guy, G. (2002). Goose Production. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper - 154. ISBN 92-5-104862- 2, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

    6. Burke, W.H. and Sharp, P.J. (1989). Sex differences in body weight of chicken embryos1. Poultry Science. 68(6): 805-810.

    7. Echols, M.S. (2015). Anseriforme Husbandry and Management. In: Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, A Guide to Veterinary Practitioners, First ed. edited by Greenacre, C.B. and Morishita, T.Y.  34-71, USA: Wiley Blackwell.

    8. Eda, M., Itahashi, Y., Kikuchi, H., Sun, G., Hsu, K.H., Gakuhari, T., Yoneda, M., Jiang, L., Yang, G. and Nakamura, S. (2022). Multiple lines of evidence of early goose domestication in a 7,000-y-old rice cultivation village in the lower Yangtze River, China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119(12): e2117064119.   

    9. Gogoi, A., Das, B., Pame, K., Chabukdhara, P., Phookan, A., Pathak, S.S. and Bordoloi, G. (2020). Carcass characteristics of indigenous geese reared under backyard system. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 9(12): 3507-3511.

    10. Gogoi, A., Das, B., Phookan, A., Chabukdhara, P., Pathak, S.S., Pame, K. and Hoque, H. (2021). Evaluation of physical egg quality traits in indigenous geese of Upper Assam.  International Journal of Genetics. 13(2): 804-806.

    11. Gordon, C.D. (1938). Sexual dimorphism in the down color and adult plumage of geese. The Journal of Heredity. 29(9): 335-337.

    12. Guo, Y., Zhao, Z.H., Huang, R.S., Chen, X.Q., Li, L.X., Balasubramanian, B., Jia, R.M. and W.C. Liu, W.C. (2021). Comparative study on reproductive performance of black and yellow- footed Chinese indigenous goose (Shitou goose) under off season production conditions. The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences. 31(2): 630-634.

    13. Hamadani, H. and Khan, A.A. (2016a). Morphological characterization with special reference to colour variations in domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus). Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 86(4): 445-448.

    14. Hamadani, H. and Khan, A. A. (2016b). Documentation of the normally expressed behaviours of domestic geese. International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research. 6(1): 261-266.

    15. Hamadani, H., Khan, A.A., Ganai, T.A.S., Banday, M.T. and Hamadani, A. (2014a). Growth and production traits of domestic geese in local conditions of Kashmir, India. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 84(5): 578-579.

    16. Hamadani, H., Khan, A.A., Mir, M.S., Banday, M.T., Ganai, T.A.S. and Hamadani, A. (2014b). Morphometric characterization of local geese in the valley of Kashmir. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 84(9): 978-981.

    17. Harvey, W.R. (1990). User’s Guide for LSMLMW. Mixed Model L.S Maximum Likelihood computer programme PC-Version 2. Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.

    18. Hoque, H. (2021). Characterization of Indigenous Geese of Assam. M.V.Sc. Thesis. Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam.

    19. Hoque, H., Phookan, A., Goswami, R. N., Kalita, D., Das, B., Das, A., Hussain, J. and Khanikar, D. (2023). Characterization and performance evaluation of indigenous geese of Assam. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 93: 62-66. 

    20. Islam, M.F., Mia, M.M., Rahman, M.A. and Bhowmik, N. (2016). Morphometric, productive and reproductive traits of indigenous goose of Bangladesh. Animal Genetic Resources. 59(12): 37-45.

    21. Islam, R., Mahanta, J.D., Barua, N. and Zaman, G. (2002). Duck farming in North-Eastern (Assam). World’s Poultry Science Journal. 58(12): 567-572. 

    22. Joseph M. (2019). Goose Meat: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. http://www.nutritionadvance.com. 

    23. Juodka, R., Kiskiene, A., Skurdeniene, I., Ribikauskas, V. and Nainiene, R. (2012). Lithuanian vishtines goose breed. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 68(3): 51-62. 

    24. Karadağ, S. and Kırmızıbayrak, T. (2025). Egg production and traits and hatching traits of geese in the first and next laying seasons. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 59(12): 1974-1981. doi: 10.18805/IJAR.BF-1897.

    25. Kirmizibayrak, T. and Kuru, B.B. (2018). Slaughter and carcass traits of geese with different feather colour and gender. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science. 20(4): 759-764.

    26. Koch, I. (2014). Goose keeping, elite emulation and egyptianized feasting at late bronze lachish. Tel Aviv. 41: 161-179.

    27. Kozak, J. (2021). Goose production and goose products. Journal of World’s Poultry Science. 77: 403-414.

    28. Kozak, J. (2019). Variations of geese under domestication. Journal of World’s Poultry Science. 75: 247-260.

    29. Kramer, C.R. (1957). Extension of Multiple range tests to group correlated means. Biometrics. 13: 13-18.

    30. Kumar, A.R., Iyue, M. and Venkataramanan, R. (2015). Growth and hatch performance of geese in hilly terrain of Nilgiris. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 85(10): 1117-1119.

    31. Macharia, J.W., Mberu, M.N., Wamuyu, L., Imboma, T., Lichoti, J.K., Ngeiywa, K.J. and Ommeh, S.C. (2017). Phenotypic analysis of underutilized poultry species in Kenya. Livestock Research for Rural Development. 29(5): 1-10. 

    32. National Research Council. (1991). Microlivestock: Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future. National Academy Press, USA, pp 101-113.

    33. Phookan, A., Das, B., Hoque, H., Gogoi, A. and Sarma, M. (2020). Morphological and morphometric attributes of adult indigenous geese of Assam. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 9(11): 3791-3795.

    34. Qin, Q.M., Sun A.R., Guo, M., Lei, S. and Shi, Z. (2013). The characteristics of oviposition and hormonal and gene regulation of ovarian follicle development in Magang geese. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 11: 65-75.

    35. Quinn, J.P. (1939). Sexual dimorphism in down and adult plumage of the pilgrim goose. The Journal of Heredity. 30(2): 55-57.

    36. Rayan, G.N., Makram, A., Hanafy, A., EL-Dien, A.Z. and ELAttar, A.H. (2022). Carcass traits of geese (Anser anser) as affected by age, gender and their interactions. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 56(11): 1416-1421. doi: 10.18805/IJAR.BF-1559.

    37. Silversides, F.G., Crawford, R.D. and Wang, H.C. (1988). The cytogenetics of domestic geese. Journal of Hereditary. 79: 6 8. 

    38. Saatci, M. and Tilki, M. (2007). Zoometrical body measurements and their relation with liveweight in native Turkish geese. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. 31(1): 47-53.

    39. Scherf, B.D. (2000). World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity.

    40. Serjeantson, D. (2002). Goose husbandry in Medieval England and the problem of ageing goose bones. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. 45: 39-54.    

    41. Upadhyaya, S. and Saikia, P.K. (2012). Clutch size and egg characteristics of cotton pygmy-goose in Assam (India). Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 1(1): 31-34.

    42. Vogel, J.P. (1962). The Goose in Indian Literature and Art (No. 2). Brill Archive.

    43. Wurtz, T.L. (1995). Domestic geese: Biological weed control in an agricultural setting. Ecological Applications. 5(3): 570- 578.
    In this Article
      Contact us
      Follow us
      Published In
      Indian Journal of Animal Research

      Editorial Board

      View all (0)