ABOUT GEESE
(ANSER ANSER)
Anser Anser is the common wild grey geese of Europe, also called the Greylag. The Greylag is said to be the ancestor of all our domestic geese, and the common goose of Britain undoubtedly was the English Grey, although a white variety existed, and the Grey Back (Saddleback) may have come from an intercross.
Picture: The Greylag Goose
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ECONOMIC QUALITIES
Raised primarily for meat and production of feathers.
The following Geese are classified as Ornamental geese in South Aftica:
Canada
Egyptian (Kolgans)
Cereopsis
All foreign wild geese breeds
All breeds of South African wild geese.
AMERICAN BUFF
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: America
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Heavy |
|
|
752 |
F |
Adult Gander |
32 |
8,15 kg |
|
|
Adult Goose |
34 |
7,25 kg |
|
|
Young Gander |
36 |
7,25 kg |
|
|
Young Goose |
38 |
6,50 kg |
|
|
The American Buff goose is a medium sized breed with a stance like the Embden, smooth breasted and dual lobed.
The history of the American Buff is unclear. It is generally thought to have been developed from common barnyard geese in the United States during the nineteenth century, though some poultry historians speculate that it is the result of crosses of Buff Pomeranians with Embdens. Whatever its early origins, the breed was perfected in the 1930’s and 1940’s by Oscar Grow of Missouri, a renowned waterfowl enthusiast and author of Modern Waterfowl Management. American Buff is quite docile and make excellent parents. The goose goes broody easily; both mom and dad dote on their goslings once they pop from the shell. . It differs from the other solid buff-coloured geese, i.e. the British Brecon Buff and the German Celler goose, in being larger and having an orange beak and feet. It was standardized in the USA in 1947 and in the UK in 1982
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BRECON BUFF
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Wales
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Medium |
|
|
754 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
8,60 kg max |
|
C |
Adult Goose |
34 |
7,25 kg max |
|
C |
Young Gander |
36 |
8,60 kg max |
|
C |
Young Goose |
38 |
7,25 kg max |
|
C |
As the name suggests, this breed has its origins in the hills of Breconshire, Wales. The overall buff colour, unique among British geese, attracted Rhys Llewellyn who is credited with collecting and developing this breed in the late 1920’s and working with them, until they were breeding true. The standard was initially published in “ Feathered World” in 1934 and then in Britain in 1954. It is a hardy, light boned with maximum flesh, an active breed and is more prolific than ultra heavy breeds.
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CHINESE
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Asia
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Light |
|
|
760 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
4,5 to 5,4 kg |
|
E |
Adult Goose |
34 |
3,6 to 4,5 kg |
|
E |
Young Gander |
36 |
4,5 to 5,4 kg |
|
E |
Young Goose |
38 |
3,6 to 4,5 kg |
|
E |
A prolific breed of the smaller-bodied type of goose, which has, in recent years become popular on the show bench. It has, at times, been known as the Knob, Asiatic and the Hong Kong goose. The Chinese is an elegant, fine, small goose, active and good at foraging. Although it shares the some wild ancestor (the swan goose) as the African, which can be seen in the similarity of colour and marking, in shape and size the two breeds are very different. Chinese have been present in Britain since at least the early eighteenth century. As mentioned in the UK Standards of 1923 the breed is now standardized in both brown/grey and white varieties. The most distinctive feature is a prominent knob rising from the base of the beak.They are highly vocal by nature and have a reputation for being good “watch dogs”. They also are among the most prolific layers of any geese, averaging around 50 to 60 eggs per year. They have served admirably as “weeder” geese, cleaning field crops and established gardens, and as guard geese. In fact, in Dumbarton, Scotland, a flock of more than one hundred Chinese geese guarded the famous Ballantine distillery’s 25 million gallons of aging whiskey until the distillery was decommissioned in 2002.Chinese geese that meet the specification of the Standard of Perfection are difficult to find. Anyone interested in Chinese geese for show purposes should seek out private breeders who have show quality birds. The show birds will have and arched and exceedingly slender neck. The Chinese was first standardized in 1874.
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EMBDEN
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: North Europe
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Heavy |
|
|
768 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
13,6 to 15,5 kg |
|
F |
Adult Goose |
34 |
9,00 to 10,0 kg |
|
F |
Young Gander |
36 |
13,6 to 15,5 kg |
|
F |
Young Goose |
38 |
9,00 to 10,0 kg |
|
F |
The Embden is a very old breed of goose. Some poultry historians believe it was developed in Germany, around the Ems river, though others believe it was developed further north, in Denmark. It was first imported to the United States in 1820 from Germany, followed by imports from England. Embdens are the tallest geese and thanks to their heavy weight and all-white plumage, they have always been a popular market fowl for meat production. Males and females are similar in appearance, but goslings can be sexed (distinguished by gender) up until about three weeks of age based on the colour of their downy feathers, which are lighter gray in the males than in the females. Although some Embden ganders can be quite aggressive, particularly during breeding season, overall the breed is fairly gentle. They are quite well adapted to barnyard settings. The Embden was also known as the Bremen and as a breed has been known for several centuries. British breeders set about developing the breed and with careful selection increased its size and weight, with a good meat ratio. British Embdens have a slightly different appearance to continental Embdens in that they are a solid bird with a good strong neck. Continental Embdens tend to have a longer, thinner neck.
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PILGRIM
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Light |
|
|
772 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
6,5 kg |
|
B |
Adult Goose |
34 |
6,0 kg |
|
B |
Young Gander |
36 |
5,5 kg |
|
B |
Young Goose |
38 |
4,5 kg |
|
B |
This is known as an auto-sexing breed because the males and females are a different colour; the gander is primarily white with a small amount of grey on the rump, flanks, and wings. The females are pale gray with some white on the face, neck and rump; the amount of white increases with age. Auto-sexing geese in these colours have been found I the USA, the UK, France, part of northern Europe and Australia. They may well have been taken to the Eastern States of the USA by early settlers from Europe. Oscar Grow, and expert on waterfowl in the USA, claims to have developed the breed in Lowa and when he relocated to Missouri in the Great Depression of the 1930’s he named the breed Pilgrim in memory of this move. The breed was first standardized in the USA in 1939 and in 1999 in the UK. The Pilgrim has a reputation for being a calm, sweet-tempered and personable bird, with good parenting qualities and a fast growth rate. Pilgrims are excellent backyard and barnyard birds. While hardy, active foragers, they are also about the most easy going of all goose breeds, with a quite disposition.
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POMERANIAN, SADDLE BACK OR GREY BACK
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Germany
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Medium |
|
|
774 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
7,7 kg |
|
F |
Adult Goose |
34 |
6,8 kg |
|
F |
Young Gander |
36 |
6,8 kg |
|
F |
Young Goose |
38 |
5,9 kg |
|
F |
The Grey Back goose known in America as the Pomeranian goose is unique among domestic geese for its single lobed paunch and striking colour pattern. It is similar in size and stance to the American Buff. The Pomeranian gets its name from the former Province of Pomerania, which lay on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea between the estuaries of the Oder and Vistula rivers. This region is now shared between Germany and Poland.Most North American domestic geese of European origin are descended from the Western Greylag, but some experts suspect that the Pomeranians, developed in Germany, are descended from the Eastern Greylag, a subspecies with a little more pink shading in its bill and legs than the Western subspecies. Pomeranian’s were brought to North America centuries ago with early German settlers and were common in areas where farmers of German extraction settled. However, the breed was not accepted as a show bird until the 1970’s, and then only the saddleback varieties were recognized, though historically the solid color varieties, including buff, gray, and white were important to farmers. The Pomeranian is a practical breed for both meat and egg production. Individual temperaments run from docile and sweet to fairly aggressive. They tend to be boisterous and talkative, so they make good guard animals on a farm, but they may not be the best barnyard birds if neighbors are close by. The Saddleback Pomeranian was first standardized in 1977.
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ROMAN / TUFTED ROMAN / CRESTED ROMAN
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AREA OF ORIGIN: Mediterranean
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Light |
|
|
776 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
5,5 to 6,5 kg |
|
E |
Adult Goose |
34 |
4,5 to 5,5 kg |
|
E |
Young Gander |
36 |
5,5 to 6,5 kg |
|
E |
Young Goose |
38 |
4,5 to 5,5 kg |
|
E |
Developed in Rome over two thousand years ago, the Roman goose comes in two types. The common type in North America is tufted, with a small pouf of feathers on top of its head; there is also clean-headed type that doesn’t show the tuft, though it is seldom seen in North America. To the ancient Romans, the goose was a revered animal associated with Juno, the goddess of light, marriage, and childbirth. Roman literature tells the story of how these sacred geese saved the city with their warning cries when the Gauls were about to attack. The Roman is a small but plump goose with a good meat-to-bone ratio. The breed is known for a charming and friendly disposition. Females are fairly good layers and good mothers. This combination of traits makes the Roman a good choice for backyard geese. The Tufted Roman was standardized in 1977.
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SEBASTEPOL
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AREA OF ORIGIN: Eastern Europe
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Light |
|
|
780 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
6.5kg |
|
E |
Adult Goose |
34 |
5.5kg |
|
E |
Young Gander |
36 |
5.5kg |
|
E |
Young Goose |
38 |
4.5kg |
|
E |
One of the most unusual types of geese. The long frizzled or spiraled feathers on the breast and back are unique to the Sebastopol. The Sebastopol takes its name from the Black Sea port of the same name in Russia. They were introduced into the UK by the diplomat Lord Dufferin in 1860, when he was sent to sort out problems in countries surrounding the Black Sea. Sebastopol geese occur widely in these areas and around the Danube and its tributaries. The Sebastopol Curly Breasted variety has a more pronounced curl to the feathers, which also cover the breast and abdomen, as well as the back, wings and tail. Sebastopol’s look like they just got a curly perm at a hairdressing salon. The effect is caused in part by the length of their feathers, which are elongated up to four times the length of the feathers found in other breeds. In North America, Sebastopol are kept primarily as ornamental birds and pets, though they are kept as utility birds in other countries. They are quiet and friendly and good for the small scale breeder. Dave Holderread, who has raised a large flock of prize-winning Sebastopol for over twenty years, says they have very good personalities, and that they are fairly hardy, quiet, friendly and good for the small scale breeder. The Sebastopol Curly Breasted was standardized as ‘Frizzle’ in 1939 and the Sebastopol Smooth breasted in 1997.
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TOULOUSE
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: France
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Heavy |
|
|
788 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
12,7 to 13,6 kg |
|
F |
Adult Goose |
34 |
9,00 to 10,0 kg |
|
F |
Young Gander |
36 |
12,7 to 13,6 kg |
|
F |
Young Goose |
38 |
9,00 to 10,0 kg |
|
F |
The Toulouse breed is very old, having originated directly from the Western Greylag in southern France as a farmyard bird and has been selected for foie gras (liver Pâté) production. The Toulouse was first imported to England during the late years of the eighteenth century. The original French production-type birds were moderately large geese with no dewlap (a fold of skin under the break at the chin). They went through major changes as they were developed to produce exhibition-type birds, which are extraordinarily large and have pendulous dewlaps. The exhibition type was imported to North America around the middle of the nineteenth century, and later imports brought production type birds as well.
Today, three Toulouse Types are recognized: Production, Standard Dewlap, and Exhibition. The Production Toulouse, a utility bird that is still able to breed naturally and has a fairly typical goose shape, is still fairly numerous. The Standard Dewlap Toulouse is more heavily boned and bred to gain weight rapidly for foie gras production. The Exhibition Toulouse has as exaggerated dewlap and keel. Both the Standard Dewlap and Exhibition types can have trouble breeding. The production type is still a very good forager, but the Standard Dewlap and Exhibition types are often kept in confinement, where they tend to chow down on provided feed until they become fat. Dave Holderead says his big Exhibition birds still breed well specifically because he keeps them on pasture, where they are vigorous grazers and get plenty of exercise. All three types have loose, fluffy feathers on their rump and lower body, making them more subject to fly strike (maggot infestations in cuts and wounds) than other breeds. The breed is known for a rather docile temperament. The Toulouse was first standardized in1874.
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AFRICAN
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Africa
CATEGORY: Goose
CLASSIFICATION |
CODE |
MASSES |
BREED CODE |
RING SIZES |
Heavy |
|
|
750 |
|
Adult Gander |
32 |
9,00 kg |
|
F |
Adult Goose |
34 |
8,15 kg |
|
F |
Young Gander |
36 |
7,25 kg |
|
F |
Young Goose |
38 |
6,35 kg |
|
F |
The name “African Goose” is misleading. In fact, historically a breed known by different names at different times and in different places. It arrived in the United States in the middle of the nineteenth century. The African goose, like the Chinese, derives from the Swan goose (Anser cygnoides) of Southeast Asia, and having smooth, velvet (pile)- like feathers on their necks. The African also has a soft dewlap which hangs below its beak. Both knob and dewlap increase in size as the bird gets older . Some waterfowl enthusiasts speculate that it is a cross between the Chinese and the Toulouse. The African is considered by some people to be one of the gentlest breeds of domestic geese. It talks a lot, through it is not extremely loud, and it has an unusual sound that is more like a “doink” than a “honk”. It is cold-hardy, though its knobs can be subject to frostbite in extremely cold climates. The African was first standarized in 1874.
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