biostudies-literatureUnknown101(5)Jiang DLStocking density critically affects the growth and subsequent performance of animals in modern poultry production. This study investigated the effects of stocking density on ovarian development, ovarian maturation, and the mRNA expression of key genes in the reproductive axis during the rearing period of Shan-ma ducks. The experiments involved 180 healthy 7-wk-old Shan-ma ducks and randomly divided into low stocking density (LSD; n = 30, density = 5 birds/m²), medium stocking density (MSD; n = 60, density = 10 birds/m²) and high stocking density groups (HSD; n = 90, density = 15 birds/m²), for rearing. After examining ovarian development and measuring hormone levels in the plasma and expression levels of key regulatory genes in the reproductive axis at 19 wPoultry science101809https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8968648biostudies-literatureEffects of stocking density on ovarian development and maturation during the rearing period in Shan-ma ducks.PMC8968648Xu DNJiang DLFu XLTian YBHuang YMZhou XLXu YLLiufu SShen XfalseEffects of stocking density on ovarian development and maturation during the rearing period in Shan-ma ducks.Stocking density critically affects the growth and subsequent performance of animals in modern poultry production. This study investigated the effects of stocking density on ovarian development, ovarian maturation, and the mRNA expression of key genes in the reproductive axis during the rearing period of Shan-ma ducks. The experiments involved 180 healthy 7-wk-old Shan-ma ducks and randomly divided into low stocking density (LSD; n = 30, density = 5 birds/m²), medium stocking density (MSD; n = 60, density = 10 birds/m²) and high stocking density groups (HSD; n = 90, density = 15 birds/m²), for rearing. After examining ovarian development and measuring hormone levels in the plasma and expression levels of key regulatory genes in the reproductive axis at 19 w2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 May2025-04-26T15:17:44.659Z2025-04-06T14:50:15.501ZS-EPMC89686483535892410.1016/j.psj.2022.101809