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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: North Europe

CATEGORY: Goose

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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