Do you want to know the best goose breeds to farm so you can generate more profit? You came to the right place!
There are many breeds of goose and they all divide in various directions. Geese are bred not only for meat and eggs, there are decorative and fighting breeds, which have a specific purpose. Consider examples of geese breeds of different directions, which are considered the best for home breeding, their characteristics, and external and productive characteristics.
The best goose breeds for meat production
For the cultivation of meat, breeds are selected whose main characteristics are early maturity, rapid weight gain, large size, and resistance to disease.
The following breeds can be raised at home:
- The white-fronted goose weighs 3.6-4 kg at 3 months, the birds have strong immunity, and they do not require special care. However, white-fronted geese are still not very common, so it is difficult to find their purebred representatives.
- The Kuban breed weighs 4 kg at 2 months, 2.5 to 5 kg, and more. Geese begin laying at 8-9 months, laying 8.5 dozen eggs per year. Representatives of the Kuban type cope well with difficult climatic conditions and are resistant to diseases.
- Tula geese weigh impressive: goose – 9 kg, goose – 7-8 kg. These are early maturing birds, at 55 days of age they can weigh between 5 and 6 kg and are fed with standard feed. Cold and disease resistant. However, few eggs are laid, only 2.5 dozen per season. The Chick survival rate is 90%.
- Demidov geese grow rapidly, at 8-9 months they gain 7-8 kg, but at 2.5 months they can weigh 4-5 kg, at this age they can be slaughtered.
- The Toulouse breed is considered promising for domestic breeding. Goose meat is delicious, an adult bird weighs 9-10 kg. But at 2 months, the chicks are gaining a mass of 5.5 to 6 kg. Representatives of this variety of goose are used as improvers.
Geese of meat breeds and broilers are fed nutritious mash or compound feed and kept in the minimum allowed area. Because of this, they gain weight quickly.
Best breeds for egg production
There are not so many Yaytsenosky among the goose, basically, the selection is carried out in the direction of the meat. Geese do not produce eggs throughout the year, but rather seasonally, which is considered normal. But some varieties are still bred for chicken eggs, which are not inferior in taste and nutritional value to chicken eggs.
Kuban geese can lay up to 80 eggs, and Chinese – 70. Geese start laying at 5-6 months and lay 5 dozen eggs during the laying period. Large gray geese can produce 40 pieces of medium-sized eggs. Females of the Italian breed lay 4 to 5 dozen eggs, egg-laying begins at 8 months of age.
Geese egg varieties are grown under the same conditions as meat ones. Of course, the production of chicken eggs cannot be compared with that of geese, but nevertheless, the prominent representatives of this trend can be kept at home for egg products.
Decorative goose breeds
There are also decorative varieties of geese, which are distinguished by an unusual and attractive appearance. The decorativeness is achieved due to the bright color of the plumage or its special structure. For example, curly geese are standard white in color, but they have curly feathers, which is why the breed got its name.
Decorative geese look elegant and have a soft feather and calm character, which is why they are bred to decorate the site. But nothing prevents you from getting meat and eggs from them. Bird size and egg production are average.
Egyptian geese have an interesting color – brown in different shades. They are bred for decorative purposes. Although adult birds have the same weight as representatives of medium meat breeds.
When breeding decorative geese, it is important to observe the conditions of detention: the room, garbage, and walking area must be clean so that the feathers of the birds also remain clean. Only with neat and well-groomed feathers, decorative birds will look attractive.
Fighting goose breeds
In Russia, breeds have been bred, the males of which are used for geese fights. Representatives of the races have a large body, strong wings, and a special beak that allows them to capture the wings of an opponent. Geese have an aggressive and bellicose character. Fighting geese are hardy, unpretentious, and resistant to diseases, they can walk in the fresh air even in the cold season.
The most famous of the fighting breeds is the Tula breed. The composition of birds is suitable for fighting, but they grow slowly, only at 2 years does the development end, and the weight reaches 5-6 kg. Based on the shape of the beak, Tula geese are divided into 3 intraracial types: horn (with a concave beak), straight nose, and steep nose. Pure lines are popular in the breed, giving elite breeding material and young growth.
Tula geese image credit YouTube screengrab
Among other fighting breeds, the Arzamas and Gorky races can be distinguished. They have a different origin than Tula, but they are similar in terms of fighting characteristics. These birds can also be raised for meat and not just for the purpose for which they were intended.
Best breeds for home breeding
The best among poultry farmers who are engaged in breeding geese are recognized varieties, the representatives of which have a large bodies and grow quickly. They can be raised as broilers. Chicks of the main meat breeds can weigh almost 4 kg after 2 months, which is considered sufficient weight for slaughter. But if you let the population grow larger, the birds will get bigger and fatter. Adults are larger and more massive than young animals. But at home, only breeding geese and geese survive to adulthood.
Meat varieties are characterized by low feed conversion, that is, a small amount of feed is spent per 1 kg of gain.
In the group of meat varieties, light and heavy breeds are distinguished. Among the lungs, one can notice the Romney, the Chinese, among the heavy ones: Toulouse and Kholmogory, Adler and Rhine. Those who want to get not only meat but also geese eggs should pay attention to the meat breeds. For home cultivation, you can recommend Kuban, Great Gray, Rhine, and Lands.
But there are other breeds that are suitable for keeping and raising in private homes. When choosing, you should pay attention to resistance to common diseases, and the climatic conditions of the area. After all, a lot depends on how the birds feel, and on their state of health.
It is not difficult to breed geese, they feed on plant foods, mainly grass. This significantly reduces the cost of feeding them and makes the product profitable. You need to spend money only on the purchase of cereals, compound feed, root vegetables, and leafy vegetables.
Goose breeds differ in characteristics, performance, and appearance. You can choose any of them for home breeding, the characteristics of which are most popular with the poultry farmer. If you need to get meat, you have to choose from varieties of meat, if you also want to get eggs, you have to go for the meat and meat direction.
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