The Social Organization of Neonatal Nurses' Feeding Work.

PURPOSE: We report findings from an institutional ethnography (IE) of nurses' work of feeding infants within an increasingly technical organization of NICUs. SAMPLE: Five primary informants; 18 secondary informants. DESIGN: The institutional ethnographic approach included field observations, interviews, and phone and e-mail conversations. Our analysis followed accounts of what actually happened within the textual organization of nurses' work. MAIN OUTCOME: Nurses' feeding practices are directed by protocols that arise within multiple documentation systems and clinical technologies. These systems produce barriers to nurses' efforts to skillfully feed infants. RESULTS: Prioritization of quality and safety perspectives can obscure and constrain the ordinary yet critical clinical reasoning neonatal nurses employ during feeding work. Clinical technologies that have been developed to improve safety can paradoxically disrupt the ability of nurses to respond in the moment to neonatal feeding cues. This finding provides nurses, leaders, and policymakers with insight into why policies and procedures may not be followed as expected.

The association between feeding protocol compliance and weight gain following high-risk neonatal cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Children with congenital heart disease are at high risk for malnutrition. Standardisation of feeding protocols has shown promise in decreasing some of this risk. With little standardisation between institutions' feeding protocols and no understanding of protocol adherence, it is important to analyse the efficacy of individual aspects of the protocols. METHODS: Adherence to and deviation from a feeding protocol in high-risk congenital heart disease patients between December 2015 and March 2017 were analysed. Associations between adherence to and deviation from the protocol and clinical outcomes were also assessed. The primary outcome was change in weight-for-age z score between time intervals. RESULTS: Increased adherence to and decreased deviation from individual instructions of a feeding protocol improves patients change in weight-for-age z score between birth and hospital discharge (p = 0.031). Secondary outcomes such as markers of clinical severity and nutritional delivery were not statistically different between groups with high or low adherence or deviation rates. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk feeding protocol adherence and fewer deviations are associated with weight gain independent of their influence on nutritional delivery and caloric intake. Future studies assessing the efficacy of feeding protocols should include the measures of adherence and deviations that are not merely limited to caloric delivery and illness severity.

Dietary guidelines for children under 2 years of age in the context of nurturing care.

Dietary guidelines provide advice on what to eat to different subsets of the population but often do not take into account the "how" to eat. Responsive feeding is a key dimension of responsive parenting involving reciprocity between the child and caregiver during the feeding process and is characterized by caregiver guidance and recognition of the child's cues of hunger and satiety. Evidence indicates that providing responsive feeding guidance to mothers on how to recognize and respond appropriately to children's hunger and satiety cues can lead to improved feeding practices and weight status and developmental outcomes among infants and young children. In addition, early and nurturing exposures to foods with different tastes and textures and positive role modelling help children to learn to eat healthy foods. The importance of improving caregiver's responsive feeding behaviours to ensure the adequate introduction of complementary foods is becoming increasing recognized, but responsive feeding principles have not been taken into account in a comprehensive way in the development of dietary guidelines. The incorporation of all responsive feeding principles into dietary guidelines has a strong potential to enhance their impact on early childhood development outcomes for infants and young children but will require adaptation to the different contexts across countries to ensure that they are culturally sensitive and grounded in a deep understanding of the types of foods and other resources available to diverse communities.

Feeding Intervals in Premature Infants ≤1750 g: An Integrative Review.

BACKGROUND: The timely establishment of enteral feeds and a reduction in the number of feeding interruptions are key to achieving optimal nutrition in premature infants. Nutritional guidelines vary widely regarding feeding regimens and there is not a widely accepted consensus on the optimal feeding interval. PURPOSE: To critically examine the evidence to determine whether there is a relationship to feeding intervals and feeding outcomes in premature infants. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and the Cochrane Library. The search strategy used the terms infant premature, low birth weight, enteral feeding, feed tolerance and feed intervals. RESULTS: Search results yielded 10 studies involving 1269 infants (birth weight ≤1750 g). No significant differences in feed intolerance, growth, or incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis were observed. Evidence suggests that infants fed at 2 hourly intervals reached full feeds faster than at 3 hourly intervals, had fewer days on parenteral nutrition, and fewer days in which feedings were withheld. Decrease in the volume of gastric residuals and feeding interruptions were observed in the infants fed at 3 hourly intervals than those who were continuously fed. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Reducing the feed interval from 3 to 2 hourly increases nurse workload, yet may improve feeding outcomes by reducing the time to achieve full enteral feeding. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Studies varied greatly in the definition and management of feeding intolerance and in how outcomes were measured, analyzed, and reported. The term "intermittent" is used widely but can refer to a 2 or 3 hourly interval.

Potential Use of Food/Activity, Parenting Style, and Caregiver Feeding Style Measurement Tools with American Indian Families: A Brief Report.

Objective To provide preliminary descriptive data on caregiver and child weight status, parenting styles, feeding styles, and feeding practices of a small American Indian sample. Methods Participants included a subsample of American Indian caregivers (n = 23) identified from a larger study that was conducted in five states. Using previously validated instruments, means, standard deviations, and ranges for general parenting styles, feeding styles, and feeding practices were explored. Results In general, most caregivers reported healthy feeding practices. Most caregivers scored higher on responsive compared to restrictive or permissive in general parenting. Of the sample, 12 caregivers (52.2 %) were classified in the indulgent feeding style category, 5 caregivers (21.7 %) were classified as authoritative, 5 (21.7 %) uninvolved, and 1 (4.3 %) authoritarian. Conclusions More investigations are needed to explore questions raised by this study about using common tools that measure childhood obesity with American Indian families.

Effect of stocking rate on milk and pasture productivity and supplementary feed use for spring calving pasture fed dairy systems.

The productivity of grazing systems is primarily limited by the scale and efficiency of systems applied to the grazable land platform adjacent to the milking parlor. The objective of this study was to compare forage production, utilization and quality, milk production, and requirement for supplementary feeds for 2 different grazing platform stocking rate (GPSR) treatments over 4 yr. Animals were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 GPSR treatments: high-closed (HC; 3.1 cows/ha) and high-open (HO; 4.5 cows/ha), which were designed to represent alternative GPSR in a post-European Union milk quota, spring calving, pasture-based milk production system. Animal production data were analyzed using Proc MIXED of SAS with GPSR, year, and parity included as fixed effects in the final model. Within a seasonal spring calving grazing system, at high GPSR and offering moderate amounts of additional supplements based on pasture supply deficits, both systems produced more milk and fat plus protein per hectare in comparison with Irish commercial dairy farms. Although requiring additional supplementation, increased GPSR resulted in increased milk production per hectare but also in an increased requirement for concentrate and forage supplementation during lactation. No significant influence of GPSR was found on body weight and body condition score or reproductive performance during the 4-yr study period. In addition, GPSR also had no effect on pasture production, utilization, or quality during the study period. The strategic use of additional supplements with restricted pasture availability at higher GPSR maintained milk production per cow and significantly increased milk production per hectare.

Plasticity in response to feed availability: Does feeding regime influence the relative growth performance of domesticated, wild and hybrid Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr?

Growth of farmed, wild and F1 hybrid Atlantic salmon parr Salmo salar was investigated under three contrasting feeding regimes in order to understand how varying levels of food availability affects relative growth. Treatments consisted of standard hatchery feeding (ad libitum), access to feed for 4 h every day, and access to feed for 24 h on three alternate days weekly. Mortality was low in all treatments, and food availability had no effect on survival of all groups. The offspring of farmed S. salar significantly outgrew the wild S. salar, while hybrids displayed intermediate growth. Furthermore, the relative growth differences between the farmed and wild S. salar did not change across feeding treatments, indicating a similar plasticity in response to feed availability. Although undertaken in a hatchery setting, these results suggest that food availability may not be the sole driver behind the observed reduced growth differences found between farmed and wild fishes under natural conditions.

Growth of juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss under size-selective pressure limited by seasonal bioenergetic and environmental constraints.

Increased freshwater growth of juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss improved survival to smolt and adult stages, thus prompting an examination of factors affecting growth during critical periods that influenced survival through subsequent life stages. For three tributaries with contrasting thermal regimes, a bioenergetics model was used to evaluate how feeding rate and energy density of prey influenced seasonal growth and stage-specific survival of juvenile O. mykiss. Sensitivity analysis examined target levels for feeding rate and energy density of prey during the growing season that improved survival to the smolt and adult stages in each tributary. Simulated daily growth was greatest during warmer months (1 July to 30 September), whereas substantial body mass was lost during cooler months (1 December to 31 March). Incremental increases in annual feeding rate or energy density of prey during summer broadened the temperature range at which faster growth occurred and increased the growth of the average juvenile to match those that survived to smolt and adult stages. Survival to later life stages could be improved by increasing feeding rate or energy density of the diet during summer months, when warmer water temperatures accommodated increased growth potential. Higher growth during the summer period in each tributary could improve resiliency during subsequent colder periods that lead to metabolic stress and weight loss. As growth and corresponding survival rates in fresh water are altered by shifting abiotic regimes, it will be increasingly important for fisheries managers to better understand the mechanisms affecting growth limitations in rearing habitats and what measures might maintain or improve growth conditions and survival.

Factitious food for mass production of predaceous phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) commonly found in Brazil.

Phytoseiid mites are commonly used as biological control agents of mite and small insect pests. To facilitate the production of phytoseiids, alternative food sources have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of different food sources for the rearing of the phytoseiids Amblyseius tamatavensis Blommers, Euseius concordis (Chant) and Neoseiulus anonymus (Chant and Baker). This study evaluated the levels of oviposition of these predators when fed with 15 Astigmatina (Sarcoptiformes) mite species, one species of a bacteriophagous nematode, and pollen from five plant species. The highest oviposition rates of A. tamatavensis were obtained when fed on the mites Thyreophagus cracentiseta Barbosa, OConnor & Moraes and Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau) (2.6 and 2.1 eggs/female/day, respectively). The five highest oviposition levels of E. concordis occurred when the food source was pollen, especially of Ricinus communis L. (1.7 eggs/female/day). The evaluated oviposition levels of N. anonymus were at most 0.5 eggs/female/day on all food sources. The construction of life tables of A. tamatavensis and E. concordis with the two most favorable food sources showed that in both cases the values of rm were higher when the predator was fed with T. cracentiseta and R. communis, respectively. The possible use of pollen of Elaeis guineensis L. should be further evaluated, given the acceptance of this type of pollen by E. concordis and the ease of obtaining large amounts of this pollen in areas where this crop is grown.

Is supplementary feeding in gardens a driver of evolutionary change in a migratory bird species?

Human activities are causing rapid environmental change at a global scale. Urbanization is responsible for some of the most extreme human-altered habitats and is a known driver of evolutionary change, but evidence and understanding of these processes is limited. Here, we investigate the potential underlying mechanisms contributing to the contemporary evolution of migration behaviour in the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). Blackcaps from central Europe have been wintering in urban areas of Britain with increasing frequency over the past 60 years, rather than migrating south to the Mediterranean. It has been hypothesized that the popularization of providing supplementary foods for wild birds within Britain may have influenced this marked migratory change, but quantifying the selective forces shaping evolutionary changes remains challenging. Using a long-term national scale data set, we examine both the spatial distribution and interannual variation in blackcap wintering behaviour in Britain in relation to supplementary food availability and local climate. Over a 12-year period, we show that blackcaps are becoming increasingly associated with the provision of supplementary foods in British gardens, and that the reliability of bird food supplies is influencing their winter distribution at a national scale. In addition, local climatic temperatures and broader scale weather variation are also important determinants of blackcap wintering patterns once they arrive in Britain. Based on our findings, we conclude that a synergistic effect of increased availability of feeding resources, in the form of garden bird food, coupled with climatic amelioration, has enabled a successful new wintering population to become established in Britain. As global biodiversity is threatened by human-induced environmental change, this study presents new and timely evidence of the role human activities can play in shaping evolutionary trajectories.

Effect of Bungee-carcass enrichment on behavior and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in two species of zoo-housed Felids.

Enrichment can improve animal physiological and psychological well-being. This study sought to promote more natural felid behavior and prevent development or incidence of stereotypies through the use of a feeding enrichment. Our objectives are to use fecal glucocorticoid metabolites values and behavioral observations to quantify the effectiveness of the enrichment device for two species of large cats, Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris; n = 2) and cougar (Felis concolor; n = 2). The feeding enrichment, a white-tailed deer carcass flank securely attached to an AussieDog Products(©) Felid 120-cm bungee, was implemented twice for each individual separated by 1 month. Fecal samples were obtained from each felid and analyzed for pre- and post-enrichment fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) concentrations using a cortisol enzyme immunoassay. An ethogram with 12 mutual exclusive behavioral categories was utilized to record behavioral responses to the enrichment. Results demonstrate that: 1) there were no differences (P > 0.05) in FGMs for either species between pre- and post-enrichment; 2) pacing decreased (P = 0.025) and walking increased (P = 0.017) after exposure to enrichment in both cougars; and 3) tigers reduced (P = 0.025) 'other' behavioral category after the first enrichment exposure and laid down more (P = 0.025) after the second enrichment exposure. The neutral hormonal impact on the animals coupled with the behavioral changes indicates that this enrichment is successful at altering the animals' behavior without adding physiological stress to their environments. These findings, combined with the low cost and versatility of the enrichment, promote the use of this enrichment to enhance large felid enclosures.

Investigating the impact of large carcass feeding on the behavior of captive Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) and its perception by zoo visitors.

Naturalistic feeding methods, such as the provision of whole carcasses to zoo animals, are potentially controversial because zoo visitors might not approve of them. However, since several species of zoo animals feed from large carcasses in the wild, this food type could benefit their welfare in captivity compared to other less-natural food types. Scavengers in particular almost exclusively live on carcasses in nature; therefore, their welfare in captivity could significantly depend on the opportunity to express behaviors related to carcass feeding. In this study, we assessed the frequency of carcass feeding for vultures in North American zoos and investigated the effect of different food types on the behavior of zoo-housed Andean condors (Vultur gryphus). We also evaluated the opinion of North American zoo visitors about carcass feeding. Our results show that small whole carcasses (rats, rabbits) are part of the diet of vultures in most North American zoos, but large whole carcasses (ungulates) are rarely fed. Our behavioral study indicated that Andean condors appear to be more motivated to feed on more natural food types, which also seem to physically engage the birds more and occupy them longer. Most zoo visitors approved of carcass feeding for captive vultures over a range of prey animals, and the majority would also like to observe the vultures eat. Collectively, our results demonstrate that carcass feeding, particularly with larger prey, potentially enriches both zoo-housed vultures as well as the visitor experience.

Optimizing Eating Performance for Older Adults With Dementia Living in Long-term Care: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Review of research to date has been focusing on maintaining weight and nutrition with little attention on optimizing eating performance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions on eating performance for older adults with dementia in long-term care (LTC). METHODS: A systematic review was performed. Five databases including Pubmed, Medline (OVID), EBM Reviews (OVID), PsychINFO (OVID), and CINAHL (EBSCOHost) were searched between January 1980 and June 2014. Keywords included dementia, Alzheimer, feed(ing), eat(ing), mealtime(s), oral intake, autonomy, and intervention. Intervention studies that optimize eating performance and evaluate change of self-feeding or eating performance among older adults (≥65 years) with dementia in LTC were eligible. Studies were screened by title and abstract, and full texts were reviewed for eligibility. Eligible studies were classified by intervention type. Study quality was accessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, and level of evidence using the 2011 Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) Levels of Evidence. RESULTS: Eleven intervention studies (five randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) were identified, and classified into four types: training program, mealtime assistance, environmental modification, and multicomponent intervention. The quality of the 11 studies was generally moderate (four studies were rated as strong, four moderate, and three weak in quality), with the main threats as weak designs, lack of blinding and control for confounders, and inadequate psychometric evidence for measures. Training programs targeting older adults (Montessori methods and spaced retrieval) demonstrated good evidence in decreasing feeding difficulty. Mealtime assistance offered by nursing staff (e.g., verbal prompts and cues, positive reinforcement, appropriate praise and encouragement) also showed effectiveness in improving eating performance. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: This review provided preliminary support for using training and mealtime assistance to optimize eating performance for older adults with dementia in LTC. Future effectiveness studies may focus on training nursing caregivers as interventionists, lengthening intervention duration, and including residents with varying levels of cognitive impairment in diverse cultures. The effectiveness of training combined with mealtime assistance may also be tested to achieve better resident outcomes in eating performance.

Improving preterm infant outcomes: implementing an evidence-based oral feeding advancement protocol in the neonatal intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: The ability of a preterm infant to exclusively oral feed is a necessary standard for discharge readiness from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Many of the interventions related to oral feeding advancement currently employed for preterm infants in the NICU are based on individual nursing observations and judgment. Studies involving standardized feeding protocols for oral feeding advancement have been shown to decrease variability in feeding practices, facilitate shortened transition times from gavage to oral feedings, improve bottle feeding performance, and significantly decrease the length of stay (LOS) in the NICU. PURPOSE: This project critically evaluated the implementation of an oral feeding advancement protocol in a 74-bed level III NICU in an attempt to standardize the process of advancing oral feedings in medically stable preterm infants. METHODS: A comprehensive review of the literature identified key features for successful oral feeding in preterm infants. RESULTS: Strong levels of evidence suggested an association between both nonnutritive sucking (NNS) opportunities and standardized feeding advancement protocols with successful oral feeding in preterm infants. These findings prompted a pilot practice change using a feeding advancement protocol and consisted of NNS and standardized oral feeding advancement opportunities. Time to exclusive oral feedings and LOS were compared pre- and postprotocol implementation during more than a 2-month evaluation period. CONCLUSIONS: Infants using NNS and the standardized oral feeding advancement protocol had an observed reduction in time to exclusive oral feedings and LOS, although statistical significance was not achieved.

Determinants of complementary feeding practices among Nepalese children aged 6-23 months: findings from Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of inappropriate feeding practices is one of the reasons for under nutrition in Nepal and elsewhere. The objective of this study was to describe the rate of and identify the factors associated with providing the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended infant feeding practices of minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet in Nepal amongst young children between 6-23 months in 2011. METHODS: Data from Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2011 was used. Prevalence of minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet was obtained by using descriptive statistics. A Chi-square test (χ2) followed by multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the adjusted effect of potential factors on the outcome variables. RESULTS: Of the 698 children aged 6-23 months; while 535 (76.6%) received the minimum meal frequency, only 212 (30.4%) children received the minimum dietary diversity, and 185 (26.5%) received an acceptable diet. Children of older mothers (>35 years); educated mothers and fathers; and mothers from all the development regions except the Mid-western region were more likely to have been provided with the recommended dietary diversity. Children of mothers who had attended ≥4 antenatal visits and who lived in the Eastern region were more likely to provide their child with the recommended meal frequency. Children of mothers, who attended ≥ 4 antenatal visits, were educated and whose fathers had at least a secondary education were more likely to meet the recommended acceptable diet standards. CONCLUSION: Young children aged less than two years in Nepal are at risk for not meeting the WHO recommended infant feeding standards given that only about one in three children were provided with the recommended dietary diversity and acceptable diet. This finding suggests that the majority of children are at risk of under nutrition. An appropriate mix of health education and food supplements could be a feasible option for Nepal to improve the number of children who meet the recommended infant feeding guidelines, reduce under nutrition and improve the survival rates of young children.

[Automatic feeding systems for horses in group housing systems with regard to animal welfare. Part 2: Comparison of different automatic feeding systems]. / Tiergerechtheit von Futterabrufstationen in der Gruppenhaltung von Pferden. Teil 2: Abrufautomaten im Vergleich.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison with regard to animal welfare of different automatic feeding systems for hay and concentrate in group housing systems for horses using parameters of ethology and physiology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Parameters of research comprised: duration of stay, frequency of visit, threatening behaviour with and without risk of injury, and avoiding behaviour as well as heart rate and injuries of the integument. 452 horses were observed at the feeding area of 32 run-out-sheds. Every group of horses was continuously observed following the pie chart system for 24 hours. RESULTS: The "walk-through" station significantly reduced the number of conflicts in the feeding area, whereas those systems which are appropriate for the feeding horses (feeding station with access barrier and without stimulation device by electric shock) led to a higher frequency of visits and a longer duration of stay resulting in more threatening gestures. However, the number of negative interactions in the feeding area of the feeding systems can all together be classified as relatively insignificant. The heart rate was within the physiological range (45.1 ± 12.42 beats/min) in the waiting area, but increased by approximately 20 beats/min on average within the feeding station. Some horses showed a very high heart rate (≥ 100 beats/min) while entering the feeding station, possibly stress-related. There were no injuries of the integument associated with the feeding systems. The most important factor of the observation criteria was the individual group housing system with its different dimensions, conception and management. CONCLUSION: "Walk-through" stations are better than "walk-back" stations with regard to animal welfare. Likewise, automatic feeding stations with a current-carrying stimulation device are not supportive of good welfare. The other differences between the constructions of feeding stations of present systems are probably of less importance, particularly as it was shown that the stable (management, stable area, conception) had a significant influence on the surveyed parameters. Investigations to obtain information on the cause for the sporadic occurrence of very high heart rate values should be undertaken.

Effects of hatching system on the welfare of broiler chickens in early and later life.

Broiler chicks usually hatch in the hatchery without access to feed and water until placement at the farm. This can affect their health and welfare negatively. Therefore, alternative strategies have been developed, for instance providing chicks with early nutrition in the hatchery or hatching eggs directly on-farm. However, information on the physical and mental welfare of chicks hatched in these systems compared to conventionally hatched chicks is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alternative hatching systems on the welfare of broiler chickens in early and later life. A system comparison was performed with chickens that hatched conventionally in a hatchery (HH), in a system which provided light, feed, and water in a hatcher (hatchery-fed, HF), or on-farm (on-farm hatched, OH, where feed and water were available and transport of day-old chicks from the hatchery to the farm was not necessary). Chickens were reared in 3 batches, in 12 floor pens per batch (approximately 1,155 animals per pen), with a total of 12 replicates per treatment. Animal-based welfare indicators were assessed following standard protocols: plumage cleanliness, footpad dermatitis (FPD), hock burn, skin lesions (all at day 21 and 35 of age), and gait score (day 35). Furthermore, a set of behavioral tests was carried out: novel environment (day 1 and 21), tonic immobility, novel object, and avoidance distance test (day 4 and 35). Plumage cleanliness, hock burn, and skin lesions were affected by age but not by hatching system, with older broilers scoring worse than younger ones (P < 0.05). An effect of hatching system was only found for FPD, with the highest prevalence in HH chickens, followed by HF and OH chickens (P < 0.05). All responses measured in the behavioral tests were affected by age but not by hatching system. In later life, chickens were significantly less fearful than during the first days of life. The results indicate that conventionally hatched chickens scored significantly worse for FPD, whereas, in general, hatching system seemed to have minor effects on other broiler welfare indicators.

Effect of feeding frequency on the growth performance, carcass traits, and apparent nutrient digestibility in geese.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding frequency on growth performance, carcass traits, and apparent nutrient digestibility in geese from 28 to 70 D of age. In experiment 1, a total of 240 geese were distributed in a completely randomized design into 4 treatments and 6 replicates of 10 birds each. The treatments were free access to the feeder (ad libitum) and access to the feeder 3, 4, and 5 times daily. Geese fed 3 times daily had a lower (P < 0.05) BW, ADG, and ADFI and a higher (P = 0.064) feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 28 to 41 D of age compared with the other groups. Geese fed 4 times daily had a higher (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI and a lower (P < 0.05) FCR from 42 to 55 D of age compared with ad libitum fed geese. Geese fed 3 times daily had a higher (P < 0.05) ADG from 56 to 69 D of age than geese fed ad libitum and 4 times daily. No differences (P > 0.05) in BW, ADFI, ADG, and FCR were observed between ad libitum and feeding frequency groups from 28 to 69 D of age. Carcass traits and gastrointestinal development were not affected (P > 0.05) by feeding frequency. In experiment 2, the apparent nutrient digestibility in geese from 71 to 77 D of age fed using different feeding frequencies was determined using the total fecal collection method. Feeding frequency did not affect (P > 0.05) the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, crude ash, calcium, phosphorous, or ether extract in geese. Our study demonstrates for the first time that compensatory growth can be gained by enhancing feed intake when a lower feeding frequency is imposed on geese. Both ad libitum feeding and fixed feeding frequency for 3 to 5 times daily are suitable for geese from 28 to 70 D of age to achieve optimum production.