Abstract: The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of lycopene（LYC） on transport stress（TS） in goslings and to reveal the key loci of the protective effects of LYC, as well as to clarify the specific roles and molecular mechanisms of LYC in protecting goslings against transport stress. A simulated transport model was used in the experiment, and 45 goslings were randomly divided into control group, transport stress model group and LYC treatment group. The control group did not receive any treatment, the transport stress model group was subjected to shaker oscillation for 6 h, and the goslings in the LYC treatment group were subjected to shaker oscillation for 6 h after gavage of LYC at the weight of 50 mg/kg for 1 h. The pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by H.E. staining method and liver biochemical function-test, ELISA, real-time fluorescence quantitative RCR detection, and liver function and oxidative stress indexes and liver-related gene expression were determined. The results showed that compared with the control group, the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and the contents of albumin and total bilirubin in the transport stress model group were significantly increased（P＜0.01）. All the indexes of LYC treatment group were decreased, and the difference was extremely significant compared with transport stress model group（P＜0.01）. In the transport stress model group, the liver of goslings showed obvious pathological damage such as cell necrosis, vacuolar degeneration and congestion, and the liver damage was significantly relieved after LYC treatment. Compared with the control group, malondialdehyde content in transport stress model group was significantly increased（P＜0.05）, glutathione and ATP contents were significantly decreased（P＜0.01）, and superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased（P＜0.05）. After LYC treatment, compared with transport stress model group, malondialdehyde content in LYC treatment group was significantly decreased（P＜0.05）; superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased（P＜0.05）; glutathione and ATP contents were significantly increased（P＜0.01）. Meanwhile, the relative mRNA expression of oxidative stress-related factors in liver nuclear factor E2-related factor（Nrf2）, heme oxygenase-1（HO-1） and quinone oxidoreductase 1（NQO1） was significantly increased after LYC treatment（P＜0.05）. The relative mRNA expression of kelch-like epichlorohydrin-associated protein 1（Keap1） was significantly decreased（P＜0.01）. The relative mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β（IL-1β）, interleukin-6（IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor（TNF-α） were significantly decreased（P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The relative mRNA expression of liver apoptosis gene B lymphoblastoma/leukemia-2-associated X protein（Bax） significantly decreased（P＜0.01）, B lymphoblastoma 2 gene（Bcl-2） significantly increased（P＜0.01）, Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression significantly decreased（P＜0.01）. These results indicated that LYC could improve the antioxidant capacity of goslings and reduce the release of inflammatory factors by affecting Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 signaling pathway, and at the same time affect the apoptosis index of Bcl-2/Bax, so as to alleviate the damage of liver tissue function and parenchyma caused by transport stress.