History of breeding.
At the beginning of the last century, a new breed of geese was bred in Ukraine — a large gray, by crossing Romaine and Toulouse geese. The Toulouse breed is very unpretentious in maintenance and it has a high viability. These birds gain weight quite quickly and are valued for the high quality of meat.
The main task in breeding a new breed was to increase the mass of the Toulouse variety while preserving the original data. The first experimental group was named the Borkovskys.
During the Second World War, the birds were evacuated to Tambov, and there the breeders continued to improve the geese. So we achieved the appearance of a Large gray goose.
Description and standards of large grey geese.
In order not to make a mistake when buying and buying geese of this breed, they study the standards under which individuals should fit:
- the head is small in size;
- wallet and bump are missing;
- the beak is orange with a pink spot on the tip;
- neck of medium length;
- the physique is massive, with bulging pectoral muscles;
- there are two fat folds on the wide belly;
- stable paws of bright orange color;
- the color is predominantly gray, with light areas on the chest and a white underside.
Females are slightly smaller than males and have a more fragile body structure. Males usually reach a weight of up to 7 kg, and when feeding with concentrated feeds, the weight can reach 9.5 kg. Geese weigh up to 6.5 kg on average.
Malformations in development.
If you are going to buy geese of this breed for further breeding or choose individuals from your geese for breeding, they need to be carefully examined.
Acceptable shortcomings in the selection:
-the border at the base of the beak is white;
-the flight feathers are not gray;
-the pattern on the back and wings is blurred and does not look like "scales";
-there is one fat fold on the abdomen instead of two.
If during the examination you found a purse or a bump on the forehead under the bird's beak, then it is subject to rejection. It is also considered unacceptable if the breast is small, sharp and located high in relation to the body, and the fold on the abdomen is poorly developed.
Pros and cons of the breed.
The large grey goose is considered one of the most successful breeds. When breeding these birds, you will get the following advantages:
Ease of content. The gray goose is very unpretentious in nutrition, which significantly reduces the cost of its maintenance. Its breeding does not require the presence of a reservoir. He feels quite well when kept indoors.
Trouble-free offspring. Although the egg-laying rate of these birds is average (about 40 pcs. per season), but the offspring are very viable and 75% of the chicks survive. You will not have to take care of the laying and young animals, the geese are doing a great job of it themselves. At the same time, female eggs are laid up to the age of 5 years, compared with 3 years of the same Toulouse breed.
Speed of results. The youngsters grow up quickly and by 9 weeks are already gaining weight in 5 kg. These birds are highly valued for their ability to build up the liver. It can reach up to 400 g.
Fluff and feathers in life. You can pluck these birds twice a year. The down and feathers of a large gray breed of geese are very dense and are in demand in the production of outerwear and underwear.
Of the shortcomings of this breed, it is possible to note the touchiness of the bird, which she remembers for a long time and, if possible, will definitely take revenge on her abuser. At the same time, geese are quite sociable. With good content and no conflicts, they are quite peaceful.
Another disadvantage can be considered a rather loud cry of geese, with which they communicate.
Conditions of detention.
These birds are quite unpretentious and frost-resistant, but this does not mean that they do not require care at all. In order for geese to please you with high egg production for a long time, and the young quickly gained weight and did not get sick, it is necessary to adhere to the following tips:
It is important to provide geese with a dry and clean habitat to eliminate goose diseases and reduce the cost of buying feed. After all, when the feathers get wet, the goose loses heat faster, and eats more to keep warm.
It is desirable to allocate a wooden room for birds, it is possible from clay concrete, the main thing is that there are no drafts in it. The floor must be raised at least 20 cm from the ground to prevent the bedding from getting wet.
As a litter in the summer, sand with sawdust is perfect, and in winter — straw. To make the straw warm better, superphosphate is added to it (200 g per 1 sq. m.). It also reduces the release of ammonia from poultry droppings. Such a litter in the spring will serve as an excellent fertilizer.
The litter is harvested in advance at the rate of 40 kg for one individual. 7 kg of bedding material is enough for young animals. Indoors, you need to arrange straw nests with cardboard or wooden fencing. Feeders and drinkers should be long and low.
Although this breed of geese does not require a reservoir, but if you regularly delight your pets with a bath with clean water in the summer, they will appreciate it. The water needs to be changed more often, it should not be dirty. Geese can get sick from polluted water. Therefore, reservoirs with stagnant water are also not suitable for them.
If there are no trees in the farmyard under which geese can hide from the scorching heat, then it is necessary to equip a canopy for these purposes.
Reproduction.
In the wild, most geese are monogamous, so when breeding this bird, it should be borne in mind that there should be no more than 2-3 females per male. At the very beginning, when forming a flock, you need to leave more males, because the females do not accept all of them. The rejected bird must be removed from the flock and put on meat. If such a goose is left anyway, then over time it will die.
The advantage of a large gray breed of geese is that geese are excellent hens. Hatching of eggs lasts 28-30 days. In order for the goose to bring healthy offspring, you need to adhere to some rules:
In February, a separate nest with high walls is arranged for each of them in a place where no one will interfere with the goose. They are taken out for feeding in turn.
The temperature in the place where the geese are kept is maintained around 12-16 degrees, and the daylight is prolonged by artificial lighting up to 14 hours.
More protein is introduced into the diet of geese before laying, which contributes to the strengthening of reproductive function. And during laying and sitting, the bird is given fermented milk products and soy to meet the need for calcium. If this is not done, the goose may start pecking eggs.
Laying begins in March. Birds of this breed lay eggs every two days, they can be collected and kept in a cool place, so that they can then put everything together for hatching.
