Minerals are important components of adequate poultry feeding. Existing detailed feeding norms anticipate guaranteed mixed fodder supplements for poultry complex minerals. However, among the normalized elements there is no lithium.

Lithium has antioxidant properties, increases the natural resistance of the body, affects the body's metabolism. The use of lithium as a feed additive stimulates the growth and development of birds, increases their survival, reduces the cost of feed per unit of live weight and improves the quality of the resulting product.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of different doses of lithium additives in feed on chemical composition and biological indicators of toxic meat geese.

For the experimental materials we took goslings of Legart breed. Feeding the geese from one day old to 70 days of age was carried out by complete feed. Lithium was administered into feed for experimental groups goslings during the period of growing in such amount: (mg/kg) the second group – 0,05; the third – 0,10 and the fourth – 0,15. Goslings of control group received no supplement of lithium.

It was established that muscle chest of goslings in research groups showed an increase in dry matter. Whereas in the control group goslings the figure was 25,2 %, in the second experimental group it was higher by 1,2 %, in the third – 1,6 (P<0,05) and in the fourth – 1,5 % (P<0,05).

The breast muscle protein of experimental goslings groups tended to increase (respectively by 20,3 %, 20,4 and 20,6 % versus 19,6 % in the control group) with increasing doses of lithium administration in feed.

The level of fat in the breast muscle of birds in experimental groups increased slightly. Relative to the control group difference was 0,2–0,6 %.

The content of ash between groups does not have a substantial legitimate difference. The breast muscle amount of ash in control and three experimental groups, was similar and amounted 1,2 %, while their peers in the second experimental group was by 0,1 % lower, while in the fourth – by 0,1 % higher.

Calculations showed that the energy value of 100 g pectoral muscle in the second experimental group was 125,7 kcal, in the third – and fourth 128,0 and 124,8 kcal, which is by 6,1 %, by 8,1 and by 5,4 % respectively higher than in control group.

The relative biological value of breast muscle of experimental groups compared with the control group was higher by 3,0–4,1 %.

Dry matter content in the leg muscles significantly increased in goslings from experimental groups. The difference in this index between the control and the second experimental group was 1,8 % (P<0,05), the third – 2,9 (P<0,01) and the fourth – 2,7 % (P<0,01).

The protein content in leg muscles of second experimental group was by 0,5 %, the third – by 0,7 % (P<0,05) and the fourth by – 1,0 % (P<0,01) higher than goslings in the control group, where a similar figure was 18,5 %.

Fat content in leg muscles  of the second experimental group poultry, compared with the control group, significantly increased by 1,2 % (P<0,05), the third – 2,1 (P<0,01) and the fourth – 1,1 % (P<0,05).

In leg muscles of geese in control group and four experimental groups ash content was the same, amounting to 1,1 %. Goslings in the second and third experimental groups yielded bird control group for this indicator by 0,2 and 0,1 %, respectively.

Significant differences between the control and experimental groups were established by the energy value of the leg muscles. The difference in favor of the latter amounted to 10,7 % (P<0,05), 17,2 (P<0,001) and 12,9 % (P<0,05).

Higher (at 1,2–2,1 %) in geese of experimental groups compared with the control group , was also a relative biological value of the leg muscles.

Thus, the introduction of lithium in animal feed positively influenced deposition of dry of matter in meat geese, protein and fat, which helped to increase its energy and biological value. Best meat quality was in goslings, which were fed during growing with feed enriched with lithium at a rate of 0,1 and 0,15 mg/kg.

Key words: lithium, feed, goslings, dose, meat, chemical composition, biological value.