List of goose breeds
Encyclopedia
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with semi-domestic populations. Geese are bred mainly for their meat
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, which is particularly popular in Germanic languages
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
countries around Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. Of lesser commercial importance is goose breeding for eggs
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
, schmaltz
Schmaltz
Schmaltz or schmalz is rendered chicken, goose, or pork fat used for frying or as a spread on bread, especially in German and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Also is very common in Ukrainian cuisine Schmaltz or schmalz is rendered chicken, goose, or pork fat used for frying or as a spread on bread,...
, or for the fattened liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
(foie gras
Foie gras
Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...
). A few specialized breeds have been created for the main purpose of weed control
Weed control
Weed control is the botanical component of pest control, using physical and chemical methods to stop weeds from reaching a mature stage of growth when they could be harmful to domesticated plants and livestock...
(e.g. the Cotton Patch Goose
Cotton Patch Goose
The Cotton Patch Goose is a breed of domestic goose originating in the Southern United States. It is so named because it traditionally was used to weed fields of cotton, corn, and other crops.-History:...
), or as guard animals and (in former times) for goose fights
Blood sport
Bloodsport or blood sport is any sport or entertainment that involves violence against animals.Bloodsport includes coursing or beagling, combat sports such as cockfighting and dog fighting, or other activities...
(e.g., the Steinbach Fighting Goose and Tula Fighting Goose).
Goose breeds are usually grouped into 3 weight classes: Heavy, Medium and Light. Most domestic geese are descended from the Greylag Goose
Greylag Goose
The Greylag Goose , Anser anser, is a bird with a wide range in the Old World. It is the type species of the genus Anser....
(Anser anser). The Chinese and African Geese are the domestic breeds of the Swan Goose
Swan Goose
The Swan Goose is a rare large goose with a natural breeding range in inland Mongolia, northernmost China, and southeastern Russia. It is migratory and winters mainly in central and eastern China...
(A. cygnoides); they can be recognized by their prominent bill knob.
Some breeds, like the Obroshin Goose and Steinbach Fighting Goose, originated in hybrids between these species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
(the hybrid males are usually fertile – see Haldane's Rule
Haldane's rule
Haldane's rule or Haldane's law was formulated in 1922 by the British evolutionary biologist J.B.S. Haldane. It describes hybrid sterility in species and is extended to describe speciation in evolutionary theory, in two parts: the rule of hybrid sterility and the rule of hybrid inviability...
). In addition, teo goose species are kept as domestic animals in some locations, but are not completely domesticated yet and no distinct breeds have been developed.
Breeds
Auto-sexing goose
- Cotton Patch GooseCotton Patch GooseThe Cotton Patch Goose is a breed of domestic goose originating in the Southern United States. It is so named because it traditionally was used to weed fields of cotton, corn, and other crops.-History:...
- Normandy Goose
- Pilgrim GoosePilgrim GoosePilgrim Geese are a breed of domestic goose. The origins of this breed are unclear, but they are thought to be either descended from stock in Europe, or developed from American stock during the Great Depression era.-Description:...
- Shetland GooseShetland GooseThe Shetland Goose is a breed of domestic geese originating in the Shetland Islands in Scotland. Like the other livestock breeds native to the islands, the Shetland Goose is small in stature, generally weighing between 12 and 14 pounds...
- West of England Goose