Effect of Diets Containing Grass Meal and Alfalfa Meal on the Content of Carotenoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin E in the Egg Yolk and Selected Reproduction Parameters in Geese

To determine the effect of the carotenoid content of diets on the reproduction parameters of geese as well as on the accumulation of carotenoids and selected carotenoid fractions, and the content of vitamin A and vitamin E in the egg yolk in successive months of the laying season a breeding flock of geese in their first year of production (28-week-old) was randomly divided into two equal groups. The geese were fed isonitrogenous and isocaloric complete diets where the main source of carotenoids (including xanthophylls) was 20% grass meal containing 244 mcg/g carotenoids and 175 mcg/g xanthophylls in the first group and 20% alfalfa meal containing 187 mcg/g carotenoids and 132 mcg/g xanthophylls in the other group. Diets with a 20% grass meal content contributed to a significantly higher total content of carotenoids, in particular ethyl ester of β-apo-8' carotenoic acid and citranaxanthin, in the egg yolk. The egg fertilization rate over the entire laying period was 16.69% higher in the group of geese fed a diet with higher carotenoid concentrations. Laying intensity was inversely correlated with the carotenoid content of the egg yolk. In the peak-laying months, the lowest retinol, tocopherol and carotenoid concentrations were noted in the egg yolk in both experimental groups.