Goose poultry breed. The best breeds of geese with photos and descriptions. The best geese for delicacy liver

The wild goose is a bird that belongs to the group of waterfowl and the duck family. There are about 15 species in the world. It is generally accepted that they are between the swan and the ducks. Ducks are smaller in size, but swans, on the contrary, are larger than geese.

Appearance description

All ducks paws webbed, which help to deftly dive under water and swim smartly. Wild geese are distinguished by short legs and a long neck. Compared with swans, the geese are smaller, the bridle is the gap between the beak and the head, feathered. Geese with open beaks are different from ducks. They have it located higher, more compressed on the sides. Like all duck representatives around the edges beak there are plates (teeth), with the help of which birds filter food from silt, water.

The plumage of birds mainly consists of the following colors:

• black;
• white;
• grey;
• brown.

The intensity of the plumage of the color of males and females is the same.

The habits of wild birds

Unlike other representatives of the waterfowl class, geese prefer to spend more time on land. Most of the diet is terrestrial grass, they do not engage in fishing, although they dive very well. The habitat is very wide, but mostly geese live in the northern part of the earth and fly away to the tropics or subtropics for the winter.

They join in pairs after puberty (after 2-3 years) and never part. Therefore, there is goose fidelity. are nesting near reservoirs. One species may prefer loneliness, the other - a flocking existence in hard-to-reach places.

breed feathered once a year. The nesting period depends on the habitat. Tropical birds prefer to lay their eggs in the rainy season, but lovers of the north lay their eggs in the warm season - in the spring. Mating games can be brutal - male "pretenders" prove their worth by fighting among themselves.

They float well, but take off with difficulty. To do this, they need a slight run-up. But in the sky they feel great, they can fly for several hours in a row and not rest. Each breed flies differently, some fly in a wedge, others prefer single file, one after another.

Gallery: wild geese (25 photos)

goose varieties

In the world, 14 varieties of wild geese are officially confirmed:

1. Gray - this species is the most popular and largest in number, which lives on the mainland of Eurasia. It has a gray-brown color, the belly and chest are white. You can meet a bird in Europe (western), in Spain, beyond the Urals. The bird is quite large, its weight can approach 4.5 kg. There are birds that can reach a maximum body weight of 6.5 kg. The gray feathered owner of a large, massive body, the length of which can approach 90 cm. Recognizing gray birds is not difficult. They can often be seen in the sky in spring and autumn when they fly. Loud and staccato calls also characterize this species. These birds are classified as centenarians due to a recorded case of longevity in captivity - 80 years.
2. The bean goose is a breed similar to the previous one. The main distinguishing feature of the bean goose is its weight, which is slightly less than the gray goose and is 4.5 kg. Runs well and is able to run away in case of danger. Lives in the taiga and tundra. Flies in flocks, up to 60 birds. In Russia, you can meet the short-billed bean goose. A flock of short beaks can reach up to 1 thousand heads.
3. White or polar - very beautiful. It is distinguished by a long beak, white in color, with a dark feather color of the tips. The weight of the breed can reach 5 kg, and the size of the whole body is 80 cm. In Russia, flocks of polar birds are not common, as they live on the Arctic coast, and prefer to spend the winter near the Gulf of Mexico.
4. Sukhonos is a breed that is similar in appearance to the bean goose. The main difference is a long beak and an interesting color scheme. The upper part of the body is dark brown, the middle part is slightly lighter, but the back and sides of the dry-nosed swan are striped brown. Prefers to live in the steppe or mountainous regions of Siberia (southern), Mongolia, China (northern part). They winter mainly in eastern China or Japan.
5. Mountain goose. These birds are able to rise to a height of up to 10 thousand meters and fly for a long time. The weight of a mountain bird reaches 3.5 kg. The very name of the bird suggests that they can be found in the mountainous terrain of rivers, lakes and on Lake Palmyra, Altai. They fly to India for the winter.
6. Chicken. The appearance of this bird is similar to a chicken, hence the name. Behavior and habits are also very reminiscent of chicken. The appearance seems awkward, so with a body size of up to 80 cm, the weight of a chicken goose can reach 8 kg. The color of the feathers is gray with white speckles. The beak is small, the legs are long with short paws. The habitat is small from southern Australia to Tasmania.
7. The Nile goose lives in the Nile Valley in Africa. But it can also be found in the northern part of the hemisphere: in England, the Netherlands. This is a terrestrial species, it is quite difficult for them to fly, and therefore they rarely swim. Although they are able to build nests on the branches of trees.
8. Magellanic goose is very beautiful, with brown plumage, with light stripes. Representatives of the breed are small and grow up to 3 kg. You can easily tell males from females. So, females have yellow paws, males have black paws. They prefer to nest in South America.
9. Beloshey is an Alaskan native. Geese are distinguished by a white neck and a beak of a gray-pink hue. They winter in the states of America, which are located on the western shores.
10. Another beautiful and unusual goose is the Andean. White color contrasts with black stripes on the back, wings and bright red paws, beak. Weight can reach 3.5 kg. Lives in the Andes mountains, at an altitude of more than 3 km, mainly from Argentina to Peru.
11. The sea goose prefers to spend most of its time on the water. It nests near large rivers and seas.

Goose

Goose- These are species of geese that closely resemble them, but are smaller in size than them. The geese have a short, beak, legs, black color prevails in the plumage. They also do not emit the cries inherent in geese. Goose do not know how to cackle, their cry is similar to the barking of dogs. There are many types of goose, consider some of them:

1. Red-breasted - wild birds with a bright red color and a white border. With white spots on the cheeks and a black back and belly. They differ in a rather thick neck and a crest, which is located behind the head. A very rare species that lives in Taimyr and in the Caspian Sea zones.
2. Canadian - the most famous representative of the goose. Often referred to as the North American goose. You can meet him in Canada or Alaska. There are 12 known subspecies of Canada Goose. Weight, size, color varies in each subspecies.
3. Black goose - this type of goose is more like a small and compact duck. The legs are short, the body is elongated, the color is rich black. There may be a white stripe on the neck. The black goose is a rare bird that lives in the tundra of North America, on the coasts of Eurasia. The black goose prefers to spend winter on the shores of Great Britain or Denmark.
4. The barnacle goose looks very similar to the Canadian goose, however, it has less weight. Weight is only about 2.5 kg. The color of the feathers is black and white. Has white spots on cheeks. Runs fast and flies easily, lives in the mountainous parts of Europe.
5. Hawaiian. The birthplace of the breed is Hawaii. Basically it nests there. In Europe, this goose is kept as a poultry. The Hawaiian goose does not have webbed feet, so it prefers to spend more time on land. In the middle of the 20th century, the bird was on the verge of extinction, but the efforts of environmentalists managed to increase the population. Today, the Hawaiian goose is a rare species.

What is the difference between a goose and a swan

In appearance, we can say that the swan looks more graceful and elegant than the goose. Body contours are smoother and more defined. The swan has a much longer neck, which makes it chiseled. But the neck of the goose is short - clumsy, the beak of the goose is also smaller. Long neck swan necessary not only for beauty. The bird is very attached to the water, so with the help of its neck it catches fish for food. The swan is much larger than the goose. The wingspan is also wider. The sound (cry) that birds make is different. In the same time goose closer to a person. It will not be difficult to domesticate him, when it is impossible to tame a swan, he is more freedom-loving.

Attention, only TODAY!

Poultry farming is not only raising chickens. Worthy competition for restless laying hens is made up of geese, which occupy an honorable second place in popularity. At home, they are most often bred for the purpose of obtaining meat. However, even the heaviest breeds of geese also lay eggs and may well replace chickens on the farm. True, only for a while - they usually start to rush with the onset of heat and stop with cold weather.

General information

The domestic goose is a direct relative of its wild counterparts. Actually, he comes from the Grays and Sukhonos tamed several millennia ago.

Modern domestic geese have large body sizes, fast maturation, and predominantly white coloration, while wild varieties are much smaller and generally greyish-brown in color.

Goslings of some breeds already at the age of two months gain up to 4 kg of live weight. At the same time, feed conversion makes it possible to speak of a high economic benefit from keeping geese: in the warm season, the basis of the diet is coarse and succulent feed. When grown at home, many farms even transfer them to grazing.

Breeds of domestic geese

All breeds of geese rightfully belong to the meat direction. This is due to the fact that the average egg production is no more than 90 eggs per year, and then, at best. Usually this figure is in the range of 40-60 pieces.

Already inside the meat direction there are light and heavy. At the same time, the following are classified as easy:

• Romensky;
• Chinese;
• local birds of "folk" selection.

The largest and therefore heaviest:

• Kholmogory;
• Toulouse.

Sometimes in the classification, medium-weight breeds of domestic geese are also distinguished. These include:

• Adler;
• Arzamas;
• Rhine.

Consider some of the breeds in more detail.

Adler

These geese are bred from a local unproductive variety, with a significant fat content of meat and a small amount of egg production. They were crossed with other breeds. In particular, with Large gray and Solnechnogorsk. As a result, the Adler breed of white domestic geese of medium-heavy type was obtained, well adapted to the hot climate.

Males weigh up to 7 kg, geese - up to 5.6 kg. At 9 weeks, goslings are already quite large and gaining up to 3.7 kg. They carry no more than 30 eggs; as a rule, they refuse to incubate. The average fertilization is 80%, and the output is 50%. Security is high. At least 86% of offspring survive.

Arzamas

The Arzamas breed of geese has deep roots. Despite the large carcass weight and presentation, they inherit one more quality - a fighting character. Often they are compared with the Gorky. Birds are usually white, but sometimes clayey and grey.

The gander gains about 7 kg, the goose - up to 6 kg. Differs in the developed instinct of incubation. At the same time, eggs on average - up to 35 pcs. in year. The fertilization is high, it reaches 90%. Goslings at 9 weeks gain about 3.5–3.8 kg.

Vladimir clayey

Calm and fairly large Vladimir clayey are not widely used. This is due to several reasons:

1. The color of the geese, as the name implies, is brown-gray. The carcass is not as attractive as their white relatives.
2. Low fertility and offspring, not exceeding 58%.

Although, in general, the breed is worthy of attention. The largest males grow up to 8.5 kg, while females - up to 7.5 kg. Egg productivity reaches 40 pcs. for the season. They do well with the role of hens. At two months, babies show up to 4.2 kg of live weight.

Gorky

The Gorky breed of geese was the result of targeted selection. They were bred from the native variety by crossing with Chinese and Solnechnogorsk.

The main part of the population of Gorky geese has white plumage (gray and piebald are also found). Growing at home requires an incubator. Otherwise, breeding birds will not work - the incubation instinct is not manifested in everyone in the population.

Males are large - 7-8 kg. Females are one kilogram smaller, carrying up to 50 eggs per season. Fertility is 90%. Conclusion - up to 80%. Safety - up to 95%. Young animals, upon reaching 2 months, show at least 3.5 kg.

Danish Legart

Listing the meat breeds of geese, it is impossible to get around the attention of the Danish Legarts. These are large birds with snow-white plumage. Males grow on average up to 8 kg, geese - up to 7. Young growth at 60 days - 4 kg.

Geese of the Legard breed, as they are sometimes called, are unpretentious. True, they require greenhouse conditions. Therefore, they are not always recommended among the most popular goose breeds for home breeding.

Danish Legarts have low egg production - up to 30 pcs. in year. The hatchability and survival rate is within 65%. The breed is used not only as meat, when plucked, you can get approximately 0.5 kg of fluff.

Demidov

Demidov geese is actually a collective name. They combine the Lindovskaya, Uralskaya and Italian breeds, which are grown and bred in the farm of the same name.

Italian

The Italian breed of geese is distinguished by good meat and egg productivity characteristics. The gander grows up to 7 kg. The liver is 0.5 kg. At the same time, 4 kg can be obtained from goslings as early as 2 months. Geese weigh no more than 6 kg, but they rush well - at least 45 pieces per year. The hatchability is 65%. Geese of the Italian breed are precocious and very beneficial when bred at home. They have a white color.

Lindovskie

Excellent white domestic geese, bred on the basis of the Gorky breed by backcrossing with Chinese ones. They show the same productivity: male - up to 8 kg, goose - up to 7 kg. Retained egg production. You can get up to 50 pieces per season. At the same time, they have high rates of fertility, hatching and safety.

Shadrinsky (Ural)

The history of this narrowly zoned breed dates back several centuries, but they have not received distribution. As a rule, males do not exceed 6 kg, and geese - 5 kg. There are also few egg products - up to 20 pcs. for the season. Ural geese show excellent maternal qualities, first incubating and then nursing offspring.

The breed, accustomed to the Ural weather and climate, shows high growth rates and unpretentiousness in maintenance. However, the total yield of meat and egg products indicates mediocre productivity indicators. In addition, Ural whites are not distinguished by the most attractive exterior.

Chinese

One of the first waterfowl was tamed by the Chinese. It is natural that the Chinese breed was used in breeding new or improving numerous local varieties.

Meat characteristics are low: the male weighs up to 5.5 kg, the female - 4.5 kg, two-month-old young - up to 3.5 kg. However, the breed is very egg-laying. You can get up to 80 pieces per year. Chinese geese are unpretentious, grow well. To breed at home, you need an incubator - the offspring are not incubated.

Large gray

The name of the breed reflects two characteristic features at once - this is a large breed of birds with gray plumage. On average, they are larger than the Ural gray geese. The weight of males is 9.5 kg, the geese almost do not lag behind and gain up to 9 kg. At 2 months old, the young are characterized by gains at the level of 4.5 kg.

Large grays have good egg production - up to 45 pcs. for the season. The output is small - about 68%. Used to create broiler breeds. Bred on the basis of the famous Toulouse geese when crossing with Romensky, adapted to the climatic conditions of the temperate zone of Russia, as well as Ukraine.

Kuban

Despite the fact that all geese are definitely meat geese, among them there are real champions in egg production, for example, the Kuban ones.

The breed was bred using the genetic material of the Gorky and Chinese geese. The plumage is gray-brown. Average weight gander does not exceed 6 kg. Females - 5.5 kg. Young growth is moderately early: at 2 months - 3.7 kg. An ordinary laying hen carries up to 85 eggs per year, while record holders - up to 140 eggs. Productivity decreases with age, every year by 9-10%.

Landes

The Toulouse breed served as the basis for the breeding of the Landes. In addition to high meat productivity (geese on average weigh 8 kg, geese - 7 kg, goslings at 2.5 months - 5 kg.), Birds are notable for their large specific gravity of the liver. It occupies about 9% of the total mass, which is about 0.72–0.8 kg on average, and even more with targeted fattening. During cultivation, geese are plucked and receive up to 400 g of valuable down, a little less than that of the Danish Legarts. Egg production 30–40 pcs. With the manifestation of the instinct of incubation, they show themselves as caring mothers, but this rarely happens.

Widely used for breeding hybrids. Broiler geese based on Landski show precocity and large mass. Not only the body, but also the liver.

Rhine

Not all of the numerous breeds of geese for home breeding show good results in industrial environment. Therefore, on the basis of the Endemsky, the Rhine ones were bred. White geese that grow fast show good performance meat products, perfectly respond to targeted fattening.

The gander has an average live weight- 6.5 kg, in the female - 5.5. At the same time, already at the age of two months, the young weigh at least 3.8 kg. With purposeful fattening, the liver is increased in weight up to 400 g. Seasonal egg production - up to 50 pcs. The incubation instinct shows no more than a tenth of the livestock.

Tula fighting

Initially, the Tula breed was formed as a fighting breed: through systematic selection, they tried to breed only the most aggressive individuals. As a rule, they were also the largest, hardiest and unpretentious. The result was a breed that, according to all the canons, fits the description of meat. True, the gray color of the plumage slightly reduces the attractiveness of the carcass.

Ganders grow up to 9 kg, geese are more modest - up to 7 kg. However, already at 2 months, the entire livestock weighs about 4 kg. Egg production is low - up to 25 pieces, the variety is exclusively meat. At home, you can breed without an incubator, and give the rearing of offspring to the mother herd.

Toulouse

Large, massive Toulouse geese can definitely be called the pinnacle of creativity of French breeders: excellent meat and impressive liver size (approximately 0.5 kg with targeted fattening).

The Toulouse goose breed is distinguished by its gray or brown-gray color. Under the beak there is a kind of "pocket". The body is massive, with excessive skin, which is collected in folds. Ganders grow on average up to 10 kg. The largest of them, with special fattening, often weigh more - up to 15–16 kg. Goose weigh up to 8 kg. Two-month-old goslings reach 4 kg. Good egg production - about 40 pcs. in season. Considered one of the largest breeds of geese.

Kholmogory

When large breeds of geese are mentioned, the Kholmogorskys are most often remembered. These birds are deservedly considered one of the most popular, thanks to their excellent acclimatization, rapid growth at home and unpretentiousness. They have white, gray or grayish-piebald plumage.

Despite the low egg productivity (up to 30 eggs per season), the brooding instinct is not the strongest feature of the Kholmogorskys. It is underdeveloped. The breed is heavy. Geese on average weigh about 8 kg. The largest ones reach 12 kg. At the age of two months, they can gain up to 5 kg. Geese are traditionally smaller, on average - up to 7 kg. Egg products are large, up to 200 g.

Emden

One of the oldest German breeds, along with Toulouse from France. Emden geese are distinguished by snow-white plumage and high productive characteristics.

The largest Emden ganders weigh up to 11 kg, the geese are quite a bit behind and also show a decent mass - about 9 kg. They rarely sit on eggs, but they are laid on average up to 45 pieces. for the season. At the age of two months, due to the accelerated rate of maturation, the weight of the young is about 4 kg. The meat is considered very tasty.

Dietary meat, large and tasty eggs, valuable fluff, goose fat known in folk medicine - all this can be obtained by growing geese. Not to mention the exquisite foie gras, fatty liver pate, specially fed poultry.

Domestic geese can be attributed to the largest poultry, they can gain weight over 10 kg. The domestication of goose representatives occurred many years ago, and since that moment people have bred them with great success. AT this moment many goose breeds are known, only in subsidiary farms contain over 20 different species.

To date, not so many people keep and breed this bird, and almost no breeding work is carried out. But, despite this, goose breeding has many fans. People who have never kept geese should choose the right breed for growing.

Directions in breeding

Geese are divided into two areas: obtaining eggs and meat. Due to the fact that the egg-laying period of geese is not very long, chickens are best suited for obtaining products. That is why geese are most often divided into decorative and meat.

In farmsteads for breeding, large goose species are more popular, which will provide a large yield of meat. An important factor that is of most interest to novice breeders is the good tolerance of infectious diseases by pets and sudden changes in temperature conditions. Basically, geese are grown in spring and summer, and breeding individuals remain for the winter.

Breed classification

There are more than a few dozen breed groups. They can be conditionally divided into large, medium, small, which are decorative. Large representatives of goose are classified according to the mass of young and adult representatives of the bird.

The greatest success in breeding belongs to large birds. Despite the fact that it is the medium breeds that are more adapted for home gardening. Small ones are kept, for the most part, by collectors, moreover, such birds are quite rare.

Toulouse breed

This breed is characterized by rapid growth, which is why they received recognition from the owners of small farms. Despite the fact that the meat has a fairly large amount of fat, it is tender. Upon reaching 1.5 - 2 months of age, geese gain weight more than 5 kg. By 12 months, geese can weigh 10 kg. For a private economy, these are indispensable birds, because in just a couple of months they can bring a hefty profit. A large liver with a unique taste is a special value of the breed. Geese are able to carry from 30 to 40 eggs per year, they weigh 179 g. To obtain large offspring that are resistant to diseases, Toulouse geese are often crossed with other species.

Compared to other domestic geese, these birds are not large in size. However, a bird can gain its weight of 4 kg in just 3 months. They are unpretentious, frost-resistant, and are widely distributed in Siberia. Geese are very close to their wild relatives and it is due to this that they have a unique immune system. The bird is unpretentious in care, the meat has a delicate taste. Due to the small distribution area, it is difficult to find breeding young.

Emden breed

For a long time, representatives of the German poultry were among the best among representatives of the white color. Birds have an elegant appearance. They have a white color, beak and paws have an orange color, blue eyes. The bird is distinguished by a good proportional physique, which belongs to a kind of standard of beauty.

The average weight of an adult male can reach 9 kg. Due to low productivity, when compared with other representatives modern species, at the moment, few people keep the Emden breed in their backyard.

Due to their unusual beauty, geese are often considered a decorative species. A strip of black feathers running from the head extends down the neck. Together with the combination of snow-white color on the stomach, this makes the birds very elegant. At the moment, several color variations in color have been bred, in connection with this you can meet very bright representatives.

Kuban geese are precocious, in 2 months they can gain 3.9 kg, and by day 75 they weigh over 5 kg. Full maturity is reached at the age of six months. Also, geese are resistant to a variety of diseases, in particular those caused by bacteria.

Males are able to gain weight over 10 kg, which is not the limit. The average weight for driving is 7-8 kg, and this is a very good indicator. The breed is early, in 1.5 months you can get a goose weighing 5 kg. Because of these parameters, breeders are happy to breed large gray birds.

For 365 days, geese are able to lay about 59 eggs, which weigh 199 g. Egg products are in great demand in restaurants and cafes. Because of their nutritional value, consumers have drawn attention to them. People who have never dealt with geese should not take on breeding a large gray breed. Birds have a low survival rate, young animals require special care. But after a month, the goslings become strong and can be transferred to normal mode.

african goose

Scientists cannot come to an unambiguous conclusion about how the breed was formed. But a large number of opinions are united by the fact that the ancestors of this bird belong to wild Chinese representatives. This is due to the fact that both of them have a protruding growth on the beak, similar to a bump. Where the name of the breed came from is not known.

At the moment, gray stately handsome men are considered representatives of the aristocracy among other species. Africans are large birds with a proud stature. Adult geese can weigh more than 7 kg - geese, up to 9 kg - ganders.

The most common birds that have become widespread in the northern territories of Russia. They gain weight very quickly in just 30 days, which is their main advantage. In such a short period of time, they grow 4.9 kg, and this is beneficial for the sale of meat products. By the eighth month, geese weigh 2 times more.

Kholmogory

This breed is the most numerous. The bird is easily distinguished from other representatives by a characteristic outgrowth on the forehead near the beak. Adult birds can weigh 9.9 kg. Kholmogors are characterized by high egg production - 40 eggs in 365 days. Record holders carry 2 times more.

The breed is distinguished by a variety of colors, there are gray, white, piebald individuals. All representatives have a strong physique, they are unpretentious in care and are able to perfectly acclimatize.

Landes

These geese belong to the medium category, they were bred in Hungary, based on the Toulouse line. Ladna representatives are bred to get the famous Foie Gras liver. Despite the fact that the bird is not large in size (approximately 4.9-6.9 kg), the mass of their liver is about 700 g. The breed is characterized by dark gray feathers and a good physique. Birds are quite mobile.

This species was obtained as a result of breeding work on crossing Solnechnogorsk and Chinese birds. Geese are white, gray or gray in color, the head is small in size with a bump on the forehead. The average weight of Gorky geese is 5.9 - 7.9 kg. Meat has special gastronomic properties.

Geese are excellent laying hens and are capable of producing about 59 eggs in 365 days, but they are very poorly incubated. Birds reach full maturity by 239 days after hatching. Of the total number of eggs laid for incubation, hatching of young animals is 69 - 79%. By day 60, goslings already weigh 3.9 kg. Gorky geese are bred in large poultry farms.

The breed was bred on a poultry farm Krasnodar Territory. Thanks to the selection work, birds were obtained that are perfectly adapted to the conditions of extreme heat, and that is why they have spread widely in the southern regions of Russia. There is some resemblance to the gray large breed. The main difference is white feathers, the body is not long, but at the same time quite wide, they have a short beak.

The breed is large, their average weight is 6.9 - 8.9 kg. For 60 days, goslings gain weight up to 4.0 kg. Adler geese have a minus - low fertility. In the context of large industrial complexes from the total laying of eggs for incubation, only half of the goslings are brought out. Such indicators make breeding geese at home unprofitable.

Vladimir Clay Geese

The breed owes its name to the city of Vladimir, where it was bred. The double name arose due to the unusual coloring. At the moment, the breed is not widespread, it can only be found in small private farms. Vladimir geese appeared due to the crossing of kholmogorov with Toulouse representatives, and are hybrids. Breeding individuals were selected for size, ability to carry eggs and quality feathers. Geese have a compact, dense body, have a wide chest, and a neck of medium length. There are skin folds on the abdomen.

The average weight is from 6.9 to 8.9 kg. Geese have good egg production and at the same time they are excellent hens. But the hatching of young animals is very small, only half of the total number of eggs laid. The goslings almost all survive. For 60 days, the chicks gain weight of 3.9 kg. From Vladimir geese get meat products of excellent quality and wonderful fluff. The bird has a valuable gene pool, on the basis of which new breeds are sectioned.

Italian whites

The breed is very popular in Russia. Birds are excellent production qualities like the Toulouses. Among the products, one can note the liver with special taste qualities and juicy meat. Adult ganders, on average, gain a mass of 8.9 kg. The young of the Italian white breed develops very quickly, and by the 60th day of life, their weight reaches 3.9 kg. Geese have average egg production.

Chinese breed

These representatives are among the oldest known and popular birds in domestic countries. The Chinese are distinguished by a small mass combined with high egg production. A goose lays up to a hundred eggs in 365 days. Representatives of the breed are often used in breeding in order to increase the egg production of other goose breeds. You can meet birds with gray, white, brown feathers

Romensky breed of geese

The breed was created with the participation of local Poltava birds. Selection was aimed at improving productive qualities.

Representatives of the line have a deep, wide body. The head is relatively small, the beak is short, straight, orange in color. The wings are well developed, the tail is small and slightly raised. Adult birds are characterized by several fatty skin folds. Feather color - white, gray and piebald. In most cases, geese are characterized by a gray suit. On the back and neck - dark gray plumage, tail feathers of a light gray color. The limbs are pinkish, not very long, but strong.

Adult geese reach a mass of over 6 kg, geese - 5.4 kg. At the age of 60 days, the young weigh 3.3-3.6 kg. During the first year, geese carry from 14 to 19 eggs weighing 159 - 171 g. The hatching of young goslings can range from 56% to 61%.

Geese are very common domestic birds that can be successfully bred regardless of the climate zone. In popularity, they are second only to chickens. They differ unpretentiousness to feed and conditions of detention. They can be fed not only on pastures, but also indoors or even in cages. In the absence of fresh food, they perfectly eat hay, food waste and various root crops. In addition, geese have a fairly long life expectancy. At the age of two or three, they not only do not reduce egg production, but also increase it by about twenty percent.

This article contains detailed descriptions the most popular breeds of geese with photos and characteristics, as well as the key features of these birds, which should be taken into account when breeding.

Features of domestic geese

Domestic geese belong to a late-ripening bird species. The first laying in females begins no earlier than six months, but this indicator depends on the breed, therefore, in some bird species, laying can begin at the age of ten months.

egg productiondepends on many factors:

• Laying begins in the spring a year after hatching when grown under natural daylight conditions.
• The instinct of incubation also leads to a decrease in egg production, which is much stronger in geese than in chickens or ducks.
• In addition, the intensity of laying is also affected by the period of molting, which occurs in summer and autumn.

About twenty breeds of domestic geese are grown in our country. Some of them were bred by artificial selection. Even with poor feeding and maintenance, birds are characterized by low egg production, which, however, does not negatively affect their meat qualities and viability. Figure 1 shows representatives of the most popular types different areas of productivity.

Figure 1. Common breeds: 1 - Kuban meat, 2 - Rhine for down and feather production, 3 - Italian (shukrok production), 4 - Toulouse (fatty liver production)

Purely meat ones include Kuban, Ural, Chinese, Italian and many others. Representatives of the Rhine, Emden and Vistine breeds give excellent fluff and feathers, and from Italian you can get high-quality skins for tailoring.

Toulouse, large gray and landese are used for fattening to produce a delicious fatty liver. However, they are also suitable for breeding for meat.

Photos and descriptions of common breeds

The most common and numerous are Chinese and large gray breed. But other species are often bred in households. Therefore, we will dwell on the characteristic features of all common breeds in more detail.

large gray

It is considered the most common in our country. It was obtained by crossing representatives of the Roman and Toulouse breed. Characteristics birds include (Figure 2):

• Strong physique;
• High mobility;
• Fast fattening;
• The body is wide, the limbs are widely spaced;
• The color of the beak is dark red, there is a white tip at the end;
• Thick medium neck and small head;
• The plumage of birds is grey, and white on the belly;
• There are two folds of fat on the abdomen.

Figure 2. Large gray rock

The average weight of males reaches seven kilograms, but there are also larger individuals, weighing nine kilograms. Egg production is quite high: up to 45 eggs per year, and the first clutch occurs at the age of 290 to 310 days. In females, the instinct of incubation is strongly expressed, and up to 60 percent of chicks are hatched from one clutch, the weight of which at two to three months of age can reach 4 kilograms.

Chinese breed

Representatives of this species are considered the most egg-bearing. They originated from wild birds who live in Northern China, Manchuria and Siberia.

A distinctive feature is high egg production, which begins in November-December, when the bird reaches 270 days of age. Up to 75 percent of chicks are hatched from incubation, although the instinct in females is poorly developed.

External characteristicsinclude(picture 3):

• White or brown plumage. For birds with brown feathers, a gray-brown stripe from the back of the head to the back is characteristic. In white birds, this stripe is grey;
• At the base of the beak on the forehead there is a special growth, a bump (black in brown birds and orange in whites). The size of the cone depends on the sex of the bird: in males it is much larger.
• The torso is medium and slightly raised;
• The limbs are medium and also differ in color; brown geese have dark legs, while white ones have orange legs.

Figure 3. White and brown Chinese species

Due to its high egg production, it is often used for breeding work in order to breed more productive and viable animals.

Kholmogorskaya

This is a very common breed among farmers and homeowners in our country. Birds quickly gain weight on pastures. Exterior features include (Figure 4):

• Large head with an orange-red bump on the forehead;
• Long neck, under which there is a wallet (a special skin outgrowth);
• A bump and a purse do not appear immediately, but only upon reaching 6-8 months of age;
• The plumage is white and gray;
• The body is large, and the body weight is large.

Figure 4. Appearance of Kholmogory geese

The weight of an adult male can reach 10 kg, and females - 7.5. At the same time, egg production is up to 45 eggs, which begins approximately on the 310th day of the bird's life. The geese have a well-developed incubation instinct, and the number of hatched chicks is half of the clutch.

Gorky

Released relatively recently. Its representatives belong to the soft type, although outwardly similar to the Kholmogory: medium head, a long and wide body, slightly raised in front and a bump on the forehead. The coloring of Gorky is more diverse. They can be white, gray, gray and piebald (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Gorky geese

Geese have high egg production, up to 60 eggs per clutch, which begins at 200 days of age. However, females have a weak brooding instinct, although hatchability reaches eighty percent.

The birds are not very large: regardless of gender, the average weight reaches about four kilograms.

Geese Linda (Linda breed): description and photo

Representatives of the Lindovskaya breed can be safely called the best for breeding for meat. They are distinguished by high precocity and large physique (weight reaches 7-8 kg).

Figure 6. Lindowskie geese

They have white feathers, a massive body and a large head with a characteristic bump (Figure 6). Despite the fact that birds are bred mainly for meat, they are also distinguished by a fairly high egg production (an average of 50 eggs per year from one laying hen). In addition, the instinct of incubation is well developed in geese, and when young animals are hatched in an incubator, most of them survive due to good immunity. The meat is highly palatable, but for the productive rearing of birds, they need to provide constant access to water.

The name comes from the French city of Toulouse, where these birds were first bred. They are large and heavy, and also prone to obesity, which significantly reduces their performance. Adults can weigh up to ten kilograms.

The appearance of birds has the following features (Figure 7):

• The feathers are grey, but the backs of the birds are dark grey, and the tips of the wings are nearly black;
• The belly is round, large, white. Under it there are fat folds;
• The head is large, the neck is thick and of medium length;
• Under the neck there is a characteristic purse.

Figure 7. Toulouse geese

The birds are very calm. The egg production of females is 45 eggs per clutch (begins at 305 days of age), the incubation instinct is very well developed.

In addition to obtaining eggs, they are often bred for fatty liver delicacy. The author of the video will tell you how to properly breed and maintain Toulouse geese.

Other common goose breeds include:

From the video you will learn everything about the features of the Tula geese, as well as get useful practical advice according to their content and breeding.