Spontaneous liver steatosis in waterfowls: overview on current research and perspectives

Abstract

Today “foie gras” production is being questioned by animal welfare associations but also by the European Council. Indeed, the Permanent Committee of the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes has recommended that studies on alternative methods to force-feeding in waterfowl should be conducted by the “foie gras” producing European countries. This review aims to present an overview of the research conducted on this topic. The metabolic pathways of lipid synthesis and storage in birds will be presented and the feed intake behavior and the hepatic metabolism of migratory birds addressed enabling to define the biological background of the research conducted on spontaneous liver fattening in domestic waterfowl. The results of the research on spontaneous liver fattening in waterfowl, its triggers and the impact of the production practice in terms of sustainability will be discussed. Finally, some research perspectives on this topic, such as feeding strategies, rearing management, genetic selection and investigations on the role of the intestinal microbiota will be presented.