Effects of Swimming Pool Conditions and Floor Types on White Roman Geese’s Physical Condition Scores and Behaviors in an Indoor Rearing System

SIMPLE SUMMARY: In most areas, domestic geese are still raised in free-range, semi-intensive, or backyard farms owing to their high adaptability to various environments and excellent fiber digestion. In many Asian countries, waterfowl production is severely affected by ongoing avian influenza biosecurity concerns. Numerous intervention policies are being implemented in Taiwan to limit the use of free-range or outdoor-based poultry farming. In contrast to the free-range rearing system, indoor rearing involves higher housing construction costs and a more restrictive living environment. Among various facilities in goose houses, an open water source is a major factor affecting goose welfare. Because waterfowl are strongly water-oriented, they require water for dabbling, bathing, grooming, swimming, and certain reproductive behaviors. This study investigated the effects of swimming pool conditions and different floor types on the physical condition scores and behaviors of White Roman geese. Offering swimming pools and using perforated plastic floors improved physical condition scores and reduced feather damage in White Roman geese. Moreover, providing swimming pools decreased injurious pecking and diversified other behaviors. ABSTRACT: Biosecurity problems, including the continual risk of avian influenza spread by wild birds, have severely affected traditional free-range waterfowl production systems. Regulations and techniques for indoor goose production require more considerations for animal welfare. This study investigated the effects of swimming pool conditions and different floor types on the physical condition scores and behaviors of indoor-reared White Roman geese. A total of 48 male and 48 female White Roman geese reared from the age of 15 to 84 days were randomly allocated to pens with or without a swimming pool and with either mud or perforated plastic floors. Providing a swimming pool improved geese’s eye and feather cleanliness and breast blister scores at the age of 84 days. Compared with geese reared on a mud floor, those reared on a perforated plastic floor had better feather cleanliness and higher breast blister scores at the age of 56 and 84 days. Providing a swimming pool to indoor-reared geese may reduce the proportion of abnormal behaviors, such as injurious feather pecking, by increasing water-related behaviors. This study suggests a more appropriate environment design for better balancing commercial goose production with animal welfare in an indoor rearing system.