Nitsan, Z., Agricultural Research Organization, The Vokani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Dvorin, A., Agricultural Research Organization, The Vokani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Nir, I., The Hebrew Universiy of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

1. Growth rate, food intake and utilisation were determined for goslings (Anser cireneus) from hatching to 7 weeks of age. 2. The relative weight of the carcass (body without feathers, skin or intestinal content) decreased from 0.83 of total body weight at hatching to 0–73 at 7 weeks. The skin relative weight increased from 0.12 at hatching to 0.17 at 2 weeks of age and subsequently remained constant. The weight of feathers increased from 0.034 of body weight at hatching to 0.08 at 7 weeks. 3. The fat of the carcass and skin increased during the 7-week experimental period. The skin retained about half of the total body fat. 4. While amino acid compositions of feathers and skin proteins were quite similar to data reported for other birds, carcass proteins were lower in methionine and lysine. © 1981, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.