Fig. 1

Representative laying patterns of four domestic geese breeds of different reproductive seasonality. Type 1 (a) laying in the long-day seasons of March to May (from J.H. Li, unpublished laying record of a flock of 500 geese). Type 2 (b) lays entirely during the long-day seasons of spring and early summer (from W. Wu, unpublished laying record of a flock of 650 geese). Type 3 (c) starts laying during autumn, but peaks in spring and ends in early summer (from Z.D. Shi, unpublished laying record of a flock of 520 geese). Type 4 (d) starts laying in summer when the day length shortens, and ends in the following spring after spring equinox when daily photoperiod increases (from Z.D. Shi, unpublished laying record of a flock of 850 geese)