Effects of Graded Hydroxylated Lecithin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Serum Lipid-Related Indices, Meat Quality, and Tissue-Specific Gene Expression in Jiangnan White Geese

Abstract

Simple Summary Goose meat is a valuable source of dietary protein, but improving feed efficiency while maintaining desirable meat characteristics remains a challenge in commercial goose production. Conventional soybean lecithin has limited water dispersibility, which may constrain its nutritional effects. In a 64-day feeding trial, 600 female Jiangnan White geese were assigned to a basal diet, three diets containing 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg hydroxylated lecithin, or a diet containing 100 mg/kg conventional soybean lecithin. Growth performance, serum lipid-related and antioxidant indices, carcass traits, meat quality, flavour-associated components, fatty acid composition, and the expression of selected lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver, breast muscle, and leg muscle were evaluated. Hydroxylated lecithin supplementation was associated with higher final body weight and average daily gain, while the 100 and 200 mg/kg treatments reduced the feed conversion ratio relative to the basal diet. The treatments also altered selected serum indices, muscle shear force, flavour-associated components, and tissue-specific gene expression. The two lecithin sources produced partly distinct response profiles, but neither source showed a uniform advantage across all measured outcomes. These findings provide evidence for further evaluation of hydroxylated lecithin in goose diets, while the underlying mechanisms require direct functional investigation.