Gray Goose - description, habitat, interesting facts

At the home farmstead, the hosts keep the gray geese because they give them meat, fluff, eggs, and fat. If the village farmstead does not have a reservoir, then this is not an obstacle to the maintenance of this type of geese. Unlike the gray wild goose, this home species is perfectly water-free.

Main characteristics

Wild geese, which are the ancestors of the domestic species, began to tame about 3 thousand years ago. This could be observed in the mighty Roman Empire, mysterious and unique Egypt and other states. Breeding of birds with various other species was carried out and fertile hybrids were obtained. It can be assumed that the gray, white Chinese and black Canadian goose are associated with the same ancestor, which is Anser anser.

Domestic descendants are characterized by the preservation of the main features that the gray wild goose has. The bird is characterized by power, endurance, strength. Wingspan can reach 180 cm.There is the preservation of the gray color of feathers, which birds in the wild use for masking. With such a color, the bird will be invisible among the reeds and while in the grass. However, from the sides and bottom of the body has a white color. Wing flakes acquired blur.

Large body size with a wide muscular chest has not undergone changes. The head is large in size with the presence of a beak that has a red-orange color. Strong wings emphasize the magnificence of this bird in flight. The neck is slightly elongated. Legs stronger and taller than wild representatives. The claws on the legs perform the function of protection, and the presence of membranes provides the bird with a comfortable stay in the water. Wide setting feet is not accidental. This allows you to quite firmly hold a fairly massive fat body.

Domestic geese are very mobile. They are characterized by endurance and unpretentiousness to food. The weight of an adult goose can reach almost 8 kg. If concentrated feed is used in the feed of the goose, then the bird can gain all 10 kg. The body weight of wild relatives is almost 3 times less than home representatives.

What is the purpose of breeding geese?

The color of the meat is dark and in many respects it resembles chicken legs, however, its stiffness is more pronounced. Geese are able to travel long distances. Hence the hard nature of the meat. In the meat of geese there is a lot of fat, the value of which reaches almost 50%. Very valuable in birds is goose liver. By weight, it is 350-450 g.

A good layer of fat serves the bird for reliable thermal insulation. The benefits of goose fat are much greater than those of chicken. Goose fat acts as an energy source. Most of all it contains the skin, where almost all the glands are concentrated, which produce the lubricant necessary for the bird to swim. This grease soaks the feathering of the goose.The calorie content of meat is determined by the presence or absence of the skin and reaches 400 kcal per 100 g of product, if present.

Goose fat is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are important for the bird's immune system. It is used in the manufacture of certain drugs, as well as for cosmetic purposes.

Geese carry eggs. When a bird is three months old, it can produce up to 50 eggs. For goose eggs high biological value is characteristic. They possess high nutritional value and caloric content. In the composition there is a rich vitamin and mineral set. Eating goose eggs leads to improved cerebral circulation. The high content in the yolk of lutein provides good antioxidant properties of goose eggs.

Greater advantages in contrast to the chickens and fluff geese. It is used as a heater for clothing. It is used in the manufacture of bedding. Things that use goose down serve a quarter century. Collection is carried out three times a year. One bird during life can give up to 4 kg of down.

Habitat creation

Indicators of the quality and quantity of their products geese far ahead of other representatives of the bird kingdom. Many people prefer this type of breeding in their household. Large gray geese have a number of specific advantages. These include:

• The bird can freely graze without help.
• Gray geese can be bred in the absence of a reservoir.
• The content is not associated with any special requirements.
• The bird is quite resistant to various diseases.
• Reproduction differs decent performance.
• The offspring is growing at an accelerated pace.
• The gray goose is strongly attached to the person.

In food, the bird is characterized by pronounced unpretentiousness. During the day she is able to eat about 2 kg of fresh grass. However, the introduction into the diet of cereals, alfalfa, bran, oilcake. Carrots, leeks, celery and lettuce are also added. It is recommended to add chalk. They make stocks for the winter in the form of birch, aspen and alder branches. In winter, their leaves are added to the feed. Some use dried algae powder.

If the content is used penguin method, the geese themselves can not graze.This will certainly entail additional costs for their maintenance. But in order to fattening this method is more profitable. At the same time in the diet using high-calorie balanced feed. Basically, this method is used in industrial production.

The farm is more advantageous to free grazing. It is only necessary to choose the appropriate place for grazing. The site should contain marshes. Water reservoirs with clean water are required. You can organize a pond at your farmstead. But it is necessary to ensure that the geese enter and leave freely. You can use small containers in which water is poured. The water tank should be cleaned regularly and the water should be changed.

You can keep geese in a small shed or some other room. You can use the aviary. But with such content it is necessary to provide reliable protection from predatory representatives.

Geese have good resistance to changes in the external environment. Despite this, a shed in the heat of the summer obviously will not hurt them. When kept in sufficient quantities, they arrange feeders and drinkers. They are placed evenly and periodically subjected to cleansing.

Gus has enough good health.However, preventive measures aimed at preventing infections never hurt. For this purpose, the location for finding geese is kept clean. The most susceptible birds to the virus infection. Deaths in the disease are rare, although it is quite possible.

Geese should not be kept on bare ground. The floor for them is filled with sawdust or used for this straw. Litter material must be present in sufficient quantity. Recommended daily change litter. This is done to prevent the appearance and development of mold.

The drying of the shed and the treatment of its structures with a solution of superphosphate are recommended. It is prepared at the rate of 200 g per square meter. After treatment, the shed is ventilated and dried.

Ideal qualities of parents

Greylag goose boasts not only high health indicators, but also a high ability to reproduce. If ideal conditions for growth and development are created for birds, then a goose at the age of 9 months can reach a weight of 6 kg. In the first year of maintenance, the female will produce 25 eggs, each of which weighs more than 200 g.In the future, it will bring 4-6 dozen eggs.

The female always acts as an excellent hen, showing excellent parental qualities. Under favorable conditions, the female is able to bring up to 15 full-fledged goslings. Appropriate conditions are created for their growth. What does it mean? The offspring is provided with necessary nutrition. Sour milk, cottage cheese, reverse is introduced into the diet. Ensuring the availability of drinking in sufficient quantities.

The layer should be isolated from other geese. This will prevent the occurrence of possible fights. For geese is characterized by the existence of pairs. The male is also regularly, as the female performs the role of protector of offspring.

Favorable conditions are created in order for the female to properly carry the eggs. Light day in the place of detention should last at least 12-14 hours. The temperature should be maintained at 14 degrees. The female lays eggs once every two days. Their shelf life is not more than 10 days.

Large bird sizes suggest a low fertility rate. Eggs are large, but they are smaller than those of other species. A certain imprint imposes the fact that the goose refers to monogamy.The development of females is ahead of the males. They are clearly not capable of the fertilization process. The maximum fecundity of birds are 3-4 years old. Then this ability tends to decrease.

When offspring appears, feeders are arranged for him. Their size is determined by the age of the goose. During the first two months of life the bird grows rapidly. In order for the goose to gain at least 1 kg of weight, it will need crushed grain in a volume of 2.5 kg and wet food in the amount of 9 kg.

The Gray Goose is the pride of breeders and breeders. Despite the fact that the existence of the pioneers of the breed belongs to ancient times, the large gray goose appeared only in the last century. Toulouse gander and Romain goose were selected for breeding.After that there was already an internal selection associated with the obtained hybrid species.

Work on the breeding is still today. The gray goose has all the features that allow it to cross with representatives of other breeds. Efforts are not in vain. Currently, a number of hybrids with a high ability to carry eggs. This ability does not decrease in them for five years of life. The meat of such birds has the best taste. Received such hybrids that do not show a pronounced exactingness to its content. They have properties of resistance to various adverse environmental factors.

Video: Gray Goose (Anser anser)