International Journal of Molecular Zoology, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 69-77 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmz 74 5 The Cultural and Economic Value of Geese 5.1 Symbolic and religious meanings in different cultures Historically, domestic geese have held significant symbolic and religious significance in many ancient cultures. For instance, in the Roman-Gaul region, people not only valued the practical value provided by geese, but also closely associated them with religious sites and social identities. This indicates that geese have deeply integrated into the local belief system and cultural identity. The appearance of geese in sacred places and their uneven distribution in different regions reflect the influence of local beliefs and rituals on the way geese are raised and used, which also distinguishes geese from other domestic fowls such as chickens (Bourgois and Duval, 2023). Outside Europe, the rearing and respect for geese in ancient China also reflected its cultural value. It can be seen from the archaeological remains of early rice-growing villages that geese were one of the earliest domesticated poultry by humans and might have played a certain role in rituals and daily life at that time (Eda et al., 2022). In Eurasia, geese often appear in folk tales, artworks and seasonal festivals, which further demonstrates their symbolic significance in human society. 5.2 Economic uses: meat, eggs, feathers and ornamental value The meat, eggs and feathers of geese all have high economic value. By selecting specific goose breeds for breeding, the output of these products can be significantly increased. Modern domestic geese like the Toulouse goose and the African goose weigh several times more than their wild ancestors. The egg production of some breeds is even more than 12 times that of wild geese (Kozak, 2019). These improvements have made geese a stable source of high-quality protein and other products in both traditional and commercial farming. The feathers and down of geese are extremely precious and are often used to make clothing and bedding. Some geese are also specially used for ornamental purposes due to their unique shapes and beautiful appearances (Kozak, 2019). In some places, geese can also assist in weeding, provide fertilizers, promote ecological integrated breeding, and further enhance their economic and ecological value (Jing et al., 2022). Geese have both practical and ornamental functions, so they remain very important to the lives of rural residents and the regional economy. 5.3 Local breed protection and genetic resource management Protecting local goose breeds is of great significance for maintaining genetic diversity and promoting sustainable agricultural development. The latest genetic research shows that the genetic diversity of native geese in China is usually higher than that of European breeds. However, due to inbreeding, incomplete bloodline records and inconsistent protection measures, many goose flocks in various places are facing survival risks. At present, only a few species such as Xingguo Grey Goose have been included in the national protection project, while the numbers of most species are still declining and their genetic characteristics are gradually being lost (Jing et al., 2022). To effectively manage genetic resources, it is necessary to carry out reasonable breeding work, monitor genetic diversity over the long term, and set up dedicated conservation bases. Only in this way can the unique traits and adaptability of geese be maintained (Jing et al., 2022). Protecting local goose breeds is not only a part of cultural inheritance but also a key way to preserve important genetic resources. This is of great significance for future breeding, as it can help geese enhance their adaptability to environmental changes and strengthen their disease resistance. 6 Research Status and Future Development Directions 6.1 Major advances and key findings in goose research In recent years, with the completion of high-quality reference genomes and complete pan-genomes, significant progress has been made in the genomic research of geese. These achievements have helped researchers identify many new core genes and reveal the genetic basis related to important traits such as body weight, reproduction, feather color and meat quality (Lu et al., 2015; Li et al., 2020; Jing et al., 2022). Through genome-wide association analysis and selection signal detection, scientists identified multiple candidate genes and pathways (such as TGFBR2, SVEP1, EXT1, CSMD1 and LHCGR), which are closely related to the growth, reproduction
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