Changes in external egg quality traits during the laying season in native goose

Raising geese holds a marginal position within poultry production in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where chicken meat and eggs dominate both in terms of production and consumption. The native goose, as a breed representing the majority of the goose population in country, is traditionally raised in extensive or semi-intensive systems for the production of meat, fat, and feathers. Despite the importance of hatching egg quality in determining incubation success, recent data on the egg quality of native goose remain scarce. This study aimed to assess changes in selected external egg quality traits during the second laying season of native goose reared in a semi-intensive production system. A total of 90 eggs were collected and analyzed across early, middle, and late laying period. The results showed that egg weight, shell weight, and shell thickness were significantly affected by the laying period, with all three traits showing lower values in the late laying period compared to the early and middle period (p<0.05). In contrast, shell percentage was not significantly influenced by laying period (p>0.05). The overall means (± standard deviation) for the evaluated traits during the second laying season were: egg weight 156.93 ± 22.39 g, egg shape index 65.48 ± 2.96%, shell weight 17.89 ± 2.70 g, shell percentage 11.43 ± 1.14%, and shell thickness 0.59 ± 0.06 mm. These findings enhance the understanding of egg quality in the native goose and may contribute to the conservation and improvement of this breed.