Ducks and Geese - Raising Small Animals - page 151

Emden: The Emden was developed in Germany and the Netherlands and is the most common
commercial goose breed. They are typically white with orange bills and feet and blue eyes.
They grow rapidly, which makes them large meat-type geese. When mature, the gander (male
goose) can weigh close to 30 pounds. They make excellent barnyard alarms, as they can be
protective of their territory and flock. They can be aggressive, especially ganders protecting
their flocks, so small children and pets should be watched when around a flock. Male Emden
goslings have a lighter grey down than the female goslings. The goose can lay up to 40 eggs
during the breeding season. It is also a good breed for a crossbreeding program as these geese
mature early, are good foragers for food, and the females are good mothers.
Toulouse: The Toulouse is a large breed and can weigh up to 25 pounds. It is noted for its
cold tolerance and is a popular breed in the Midwest, though it has its origins in France. The
Toulouse breed has dark gray feathers on its back, lighter grey feathers on its breast, and
white stomach feathers. It has a dewlap or flap of skin hanging under its lower jaw and a
bulky body. The Toulouse was bred in France to produce foie gras. As such, it is not as good a
forager as other geese breeds and does well when confined to a pen. The goslings also mature
slower than other breeds. The goose lays about 35 eggs per year and is a good mother.
However, they can be clumsy and break eggs if the nest is not well padded.
Chinese: This breed is the smallest of domestic geese. They have been called Swan Geese, as
they carry their body upright (similar to swans). They are distinctive geese because they have
a knob at the base of their beak. The knob on the male is larger than the female. Chinese geese
come in two colors: brown and white. The white variety has a more attractive carcass, as their
pinfeathers are not as noticeable. Another added trait is they make excellent weeders; they eat
weeds from vegetable crops without causing much damage to the vegetables due to their
smaller size and better agility at moving. Female Chinese geese will lay 50 to 60 eggs during
the breeding season (February through June). The Chinese goose makes a good guard goose
for the farmstead.
African: The African goose is related to the Chinese goose, but it is a much larger breed. It
has a distinctive knob on its forehead near the bill and a dewlap. It is about the same size and
weight as the Emden breed, and ganders can weigh close to 30 pounds. The colored variety of
African has brown top feathers and a lighter underbelly. The White African variety has white
feathers and orange bill, knob, legs, and feet. Despite its name, it does not come from Africa,
but its origin is murky. A mature gander weighs 22 to 24 pounds while a mature female