V.I. Fisinin and K.V. Zlochevskaya
In 1980 there were about 824 thousand adult geese in the Soviet Union in the State sector. Their most important products are meat, down and fat liver. The distribution according to breeds is shown in Table 14.1. This article describes only the local, rare or vanishing breeds. All the breeds described, except the Javakhetian, Kaluga and Pskov Bald, are maintained in gene conservation flocks at the Ail-Union Poultry Breeding Research Institute which is investigating their commercial value when raised in small flocks.
Table 14.1 BREEDS OF GEESE IN THE SOVIET UNION
|
|
Number (adults) | |
|
1974 |
1980 |
|
| LOCAL, RARE OR DECLINING BREEDS | ||
| Adler |
few |
|
| Arzamas |
3 700 |
few |
| Benkov |
5 300 |
|
| Chinese |
239 000 |
|
| Embden | 919 | |
| Gorki | 34 000 | 42 600 |
| Javakhetian |
few |
|
| Kaluga |
few |
|
|
Kholmogory |
19 680 |
18 500 |
|
Kuban |
20 500 |
82 300 |
|
Landes |
6 000 |
|
|
Large Grey |
196 000 |
314 200 |
|
Obroshino |
4 300 |
|
|
Pereyaslav |
2 100 |
1 500 |
|
Pskov Bald |
few |
|
|
Romny |
38 500 |
24 500 |
|
Sebastopol |
few |
|
|
Shadrin |
6 600 |
1 600 |
|
Solnechnogorsk |
few |
|
|
Toulouse |
11 400 |
|
|
Vishtines |
few |
|
|
Vladimir Clay |
230 |
|
| COMMERCIAL BREEDS | ||
| Italian |
34 600 |
|
| Rhenish |
36 682 |
|
A breed group developed at the Adler poultry plant in Krasnodar territory by crossing small local geese with a high egg production with the Large Grey breed. The resulting crossbreds were selected for live weight and constitution. In 1965 the crossbreds were mated with the Solnechnogorsk geese and their offspring were bred inter se. As a result, the Adler breed group was obtained, which is similar to the Large Grey breed.
Adler geese are raised on a limited scale, mainly on the Adler poultry plant in the Krasnodar territory and by inhabitants of this and adjacent areas. No precise data on the numbers of this breed are available.
Adler geese resemble the Large Grey. The body is large and broad. The head is of medium size, with a short orange bill; the neck is short and the breast is broad, somewhat rounded. The legs are short and strong. The plumage is white.
The average live weight of males is 7-9 kg and that of females is 5-7 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.9-4.0 kg. Egg production is 25-30 eggs; some geese lay 40 eggs. Birds mature at the age of 9.5 months. Egg weight is 160-170 g. The hatching rate is 40-50%.
Adler geese have good meat qualities but their fertility and hatching rate are not high enough - only 60-77 and 55-60% respectively. The breed is well adapted to the hot climate of Krasnodar territory. The survival rate of adults is 90-100% and that of the young is 75-85% depending on the management conditions. This explains both the limited distribution of Adler geese and the greater popularity of Large Grey geese which are raised on a large scale. Pedigree breeding of Adler geese is carried out on a small scale at Adler poultry plant.
This breed has been developed by prolonged selection of local geese in Gorki region. Initially, the selection was aimed at obtaining a fighting bird, with a high live weight and a strong constitution. Later, efforts were directed at improving meat qualities. For some years breeding and selection have been carried out at the State Breeding Farm for Arzamas geese.
The breed was not popular. It was predominantly raised in the Gorki and adjacent regions. In 1974 there were 3700 birds. In 1980 no Arzamas geese were recorded on state and collective farms or other commerical plants. At present small flocks of these birds are raised mainly on private plots.
The body is broad and deep, horizontally placed. The head is small and rounded, with a short straight bill. There are populations which are named, according to the shape of the bill, hook- and flat-billed. The breast is broad and protuberant. The legs are long and strong; the wings are well developed. The plumage is predominantly white, although there are grey and pied individuals. The shanks and feet are yellow or orange.
The live weight of adult birds is 6.0 kg for males and 5.0-5.5 kg for females. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.7-4.0 kg. The egg production is low - 18-20 eggs in 4 months. Egg weight is 165-180 g.
The geese are good brooders. The viability of the breed is high - survival rate of young is 96%.
The limited distribution and reduction in numbers are due to low reproductive performance including a relatively low egg production. A high proportion of females (up to 70-80%) brood their eggs.
At present this breed is kept in Gorki region and adjacent areas. Extensive breeding work is not carried out.
They are well adapted to the environmental conditions of Gorki region and adjacent areas. Thus, it may be advisable to extend their breeding by providing the population of these regions with young stock.
This breed derives from the wild knobbed geese (Anser cygnoides). The geese of this breed have been used for developing local breeds and breed groups in the USSR.
Chinese geese were once raised in this country on a very large scale. In 1980 there were about 239 000 Chinese Grey and Chinese White geese. At present their numbers have declined by more than 70%. Most poultry farms do not raise purebred Chinese geese but their crossbreds with other breeds which have higher meat qualities.
The head is large, with a knob on the forehead. The egg-shaped body is slightly raised; the breast is broad, and the neck is swan-like. The legs are of moderate length. In the Chinese Grey the back, wings and back of the neck are dark grey (greyish-brown) while breast and abdomen are pale. There is also a population of Chinese White geese, with white plumage. The shanks and feet are orange.
Egg production is 45-70 eggs per year with a maximum of 90-100 eggs. Egg weight is low - 140-150 g. Birds mature at the age of 9 months. The hatching rate is sufficiently high - 70-75%. The live weight of adult birds is low; males weigh 50-55 kg and females 4.0-4.5 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.0-3.2 kg.
The reproductive performance is good: fertility and hatchability are 90-95 and 80-85% respectively. Chinese Grey geese have slow weight gains when young and low carcass quality because of their grey plumage. The dressing percentage and the yield of edible parts are 56-60 and 56-57% respectively. For these reasons the number of these geese is now drastically reduced and new, more productive, breeds have been introduced.
Studies are currently under way to determine the efficiency of crossing Chinese Grey geese as a maternal line with heavier breeds: the Kholmogory, Rhenish, Italian, Vishtines, and others. Such crossing has produced a higher crop of young per layer (40-50 goslings).
A breed developed in Germany in the vicinity of Emden. There is a small number of these geese in the USSR. In 1980 there were 919 in Estonia and also very small numbers in the other Baltic republics and the Ukraine, kept on private plots and by amateur poultrymen.
The birds are large. The body is long and broad, with a small fold on the abdomen. The head is large and broad, with a short, broad, orange bill. The neck is long and curved, with a "purse" beneath the bill. The legs are short and strong. The shanks and feet are orange. The plumage is white.
The live weight of adult males is 9-10 kg and that of females is 8 kg. The figures are lower when the birds are kept under extensive conditions: 6.5-7 and 5.0-5.5 kg respectively. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.6-3.8 kg. The geese begin to lay at the age of 10 months; egg production is only 25-30 eggs; egg weight is 160-170 g. The hatching rate is only 40-45%.
It is a good meat breed; the quality of meat and fat is high and the birds gain weight fast. The yield of edible parts amounts to 68.8%. The geese are good brooders; the latter account for 45-47% of the female flock.
The limited distribution and use of the breed are due to its low reproductive performance: fertility and hatchability are 60-65 and 55-60% respectively. Embden geese are raised on private plots and used for crossing to obtain parental lines.
A breed group obtained by crossing local geese of Gorki region with the Chinese breed. The crossbreds were mated with Solnechnogorsk geese and the three-way crosses were bred inter se. Local Gorki and Solnechnogorsk geese have good meat qualities, while the Chinese have better reproductive performance. This work has resulted in a breed group which considerably surpasses local Gorki geese in commercial value. Gorki geese are raised on a large scale in Gorki and many other regions of the Russian Federation.
In 1974 these geese numbered more than 34 000 birds and they reached 42 600 in 1980. At present numbers are smaller due to the introduction of more productive breeds, the Rhenish and Italian.
In constitution, size and colour Gorki geese resemble the Kholmogory. The head is medium-sized, with a small knob on the forehead. The body is long, broad, somewhat raised in front. The breast is protuberant but not very broad. The neck is long and curved; the tail is raised. The plumage is grey, white or pied. Most birds are predominantly grey. The shanks and feet are orange.
The live weight of males is 7-7.5 kg and that of females is 5.5-6.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.2-3.5 kg. There is a group of Gorki geese that reach the live weight of 3.8 kg at this age. Birds mature at the age of 240 days. Egg production is adequate - 50-60 eggs. Egg weight is 140-150 g. Reproductive performance is high: fertility of eggs is 80-90% and the hatching rate is 70%.
Among the biological properties one should single out good adaptation to the climatic conditions of the Gorki and adjacent regions and high reproductive performance. At the same time the weight gains of the young in the first two months are not high enough. The survival rate of the young is 80-85% and that of adult birds is 90% or more.
Pedigree breeding of this breed group is carried out at Burevestnik breeding plant in Gorki region and at Lindovskaya poultry plant. The breed group is being improved in order to obtain a maternal line. Crossbreds with high production are obtained by crossing Gorki geeese with local breeds of low productivity.
A local breed of geese in Georgia. Previously, they were raised on a large scale in Bogdanovski and other districts of Georgia and adjacent areas of Armenia.
There are reasons to believe that these geese descend directly from local wild birds. Extensive mass selection led to the emergence of this local breed group. The flocks are relatively small and they are raised on household plots.
The birds are not large. The body is long and broad. The head is small and rounded. The bill is straight and short. The neck is also straight and short. The breast is protuberant; the wings are well developed, close to the body. The legs are strong. The colour is varied: grey, white, or pied. There are one or two skin folds on the abdomen. Some birds have a small crest on the head.
Productivity of these geese is poor. The live weight of males is 4.5-5.0 kg and that of females is 3.8-4.0 kg.he 60-day-old goslings weigh 2.9-3.0 kg. Females begin to lay at the age of 11 months and the egg-laying period lasts 3.0-3.5 months. Egg weight is 140-150 g.
The breed is well adapted to local conditions in Georgia, i.e. to mountainous areas. The brooding rate is high, almost 100%. The survival rate of adult birds is good. Javakhetian geese are less productive than other breeds and therefore are not very popular.
These geese are useful as a genetic resource for producing new, more productive populations well adapted to local conditions in Georgia.
A breed group obtained by crossing local geese with local Tula birds of the fighting type which have well-developed muscles and a compact conformation. Kaluga geese have long been raised on private plots in the Kaluga region and in some districts of the Tula region. Currently numbers are insignificant.
The body is compact, with the wings close to the body. The back and breast are broad. The neck is short; the head is small and the bill is straight and orange. The legs are strong and short; the shanks and feet are orange. The birds are very active. The plumage is white, grey or pied.
The live weight of males is 6.0-6.5 kg and that of females is 5.5-5.8 kg. Males and females may reach the higher live weight of 8 and 7 kg respectively. Birds mature at the age of 10 months. Egg production is only 15-18 eggs. Individual geese lay 25-30 eggs. Egg weight is 160-180. Fertility and hatchability are high. During pedigree breeding the hatching rate reached 90%.
An important biological feature of the breed is its good meat qualities. In terms of fat content in the dry meat matter (58.2%) the geese surpass many other breeds and breed groups. Kaluga geese have a high viability; the brooding rate is moderate.
The low egg production of Kaluga geese has led to their replacement with other breeds. At the same time this breed group is a useful genetic resource. They can be raised as purebreds or crossed with other breeds.
It was formed in the Central Black-Earth zone of the Russian Federation by crossing local white geese with Chinese; it is suggested that Tula Game geese were used in the crossing. Long-term pure breeding, improved feeding and management have resulted in the national breed. The breeding work is carried out by the Ail-Union Poultry Breeding Research Institute.
The breed was widely spread over Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Moscow, Vladimir, Arkhangel and other regions.
In 1974 there were 19 680 geese of this breed. Their number decreased slightly, to 18 500, by 1980. At present the population is still declining slowly. They are generally used on non-specialized poultry farms and private plots.
The Kholmogory goose's body is massive (long, deep and broad) and horizontal. The head is elongated with a knob on the forehead; the breast is broad and bulging; the beak is straight, long and orange-red in colour; the neck is long, slightly curved and with a purse. The knob on the forehead appears at the age of 6 or 7 months. There is a fold on the abdomen. The wings are strong, well developed, close to the body. The legs are of medium length and strong; the shanks and feet are red or orange. The plumage is grey, white or pied.
The live weight of adult males is high, 7-8 kg, and that of females is 5.5-6.0 kg. Under optimal conditions the live weight of males reaches 9-10 kg and that of females 7 kg. By 60 days of age goslings reach the rather high live weight of 3.0-3.5 kg, the feed consumption being 3.8-4.0 kg per kg of gain. Egg production is 25-30 eggs weighing 170-180 g each. Fertility and hatchability are 80 and 50% respectively.
Kholmogory geese are very hardy and have a calm disposition; they quickly acclimatize to local conditions. Meat qualities are good. The crossbred progeny of Kholmogory males and Chinese White females produced 69% of edible parts. It is feasible to raise Kholmogory geese on private plots.
The reduction in numbers of these geese and their removal from commercial farms are due to the introduction of more productive breeds. Kholmogory geese have a low egg production and hatchability; the resulting crop is only 12-13 goslings per layer.
A breed developed at the poultry breeding department of the Kuban Agricultural Institute by backcrossing Gorki geese with the Chinese.
Another population of Kuban geese, with white plumage, was obtained by crossing white Gorki geese with the Large Grey, the Embden, and the Vishtines.
The first population of Kuban geese is widely distributed, predominantly in the southern regions of the Russian Federation. They are also kept in the central regions, in the Volga area and in Ukraine, Moldavia and Kirgizia.
In 1974 these geese numbered 20 500 birds; in 1980 their numbers reached 82 300 but at present they have declined somewhat.
The body is of medium length, raised in front. The head is large with a knob on the forehead at the base of the bill. The breast is rounded and the legs are of medium length. The back and wings of the Kuban Grey are light greyish-brown with a dark brown stripe on the head and neck; the feet are dark. The Kuban White has white plumage and pale feet and bill.
The live weight of adult males is 5.0-5.5 kg and that of females is 4.5-5.0 kg. The geese of this breed have a high egg production; egg weight is 140-160 g. Birds mature at the age of 240-250 days. The egg-laying period lasts 7 months. The hatching rate is high - 75-85%. The survival rate of young is good - 85%. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.4-3.6 kg.
The breed is known for its high reproductive performance (egg production may reach 100 eggs per layer, fertility and hatchability are up to 90%, survival rate of young is up to 95%) and good adaptation to the climatic conditions of Krasnodar territory and adjacent regions.
The weak points of the breed are the slow weight gain of the young and low carcass quality because of the colour of the plumage and skin.
Pedigree breeding of Kuban geese is carried out at the poultry breeding department of the Kuban Agricultural Institute which is working on the development of new highly-productive strains. The research work is aimed at producing a maternal line for broiler production by crossing with breeds of good meat qualities.
Landes is a breed imported from Hungary. At present, there are small flocks of these geese in Gorki and Moscow regions, their total number being some 6000 birds.
In constitution, size and colour Landes geese resemble the Toulouse but with a lighter plumage. The body is massive, the head broad, the neck thick and short, the breast broad and deep. The legs are of medium length.
The live weight of adult males is nearly 6 kg and that of females is 5 kg. When fattened to produce fat livers, the live weight reaches 8 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.5 kg. The average egg production is 25-30 eggs; egg weight is 170 g. The hatching rate is 45-50%.
One of the biological properties of these birds is that they can be fattened to produce enlarged fat livers. Young with a live weight of 8 kg have 700 g livers. Fertility and hatchability are 75-80 and 60-65% respectively. The survival rate of the young is 80%. Purebred birds of this breed are not popular because of their low reproductive performance. The breed is used as a paternal strain in crosses for the of fat livers. The live weight of goslings obtained by crossing with the Rhenish breed, which are currently raised on a commercial scale, may reach 9-10 kg with the liver weighing 700-800 g. Good results are also obtained by crossing with Italian geese. The liver may reach 520 g or more.
Pedigree breeding is carried out at Lindovsk enterprise in Gorki region and on Kashira poultry farm in Moscow region. Flocks of this breed are kept at Complex enterprise.
The breed exists in two populations, the Ukrainian and the Tambov. Both populations were obtained by crossing Romny geese with the Toulouse. The first population was developed by the Ukrainian Poultry Breeding Institute, and the second at Arzhenka breeding plant in Tambov region.
The Large Grey is the most popular among local breeds in the USSR. In 1974 these geese numbered 196 000 and they reached 314 200 in 1980. At present their numbers have declined somewhat due to the large-scale commercial introduction of the Rhenish and Italian breeds.
The birds have a massive head with a short orange bill. The neck is of medium length and thick; the body is broad and deep; some birds have two skin folds on the abdomen. The breast is broad and the wings are close to the body. The plumage is grey; the neck and the back are dark grey and the abdomen is white. The tips of the tail feathers are also white.
The live weight of adult males is 6.5-7.0 kg and that of females is 5.8-6.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.5-4.0 kg; feed consumption is 3.1-3.2 kg per kg of gain. Egg production is moderate - 35-40 eggs. Birds mature at the age of 250-260 days. Egg weight is 175 g. The hatching rate is 55-58%.
The breed has good viability but reproductive performance is poor. The survival rate is 78-80%. The yield of goslings per layer is also low - 18-20 head. Large Grey geese are bred pure and also used as the paternal line in crossing with breeds of higher reproductive performance and lower live weight. They are also used as paternal or maternal grandparental lines which are crossed to form the maternal line which is then crossed with the highly productive Rhenish geese.
Large Grey geese are widespread in the central and southern regions of the Russian Federation and in the Ukraine.
Pedigree breeding is carried out at the Ukrainian Poultry Breeding Institute which has a selection programme aimed at producing new strains. Breeding is also carried on at Arzhenka breeding plant in Tambov region. Large Grey geese constitute good genetic material for producing crossbreds with fast weight gains up to the age of 8 weeks and a live weight of 4.2-4.5 kg.
A breed group developed on Obroshino Experimental Farm in the Ukraine by crossing local white geese with good down and feathers with ganders of the Chinese Grey breed. The crossbreds were mated with the offspring of Large Grey ganders and Chinese Grey females. Then the crossbreds were bred inter se. There are two types in this breed group (C1 and C2) , which differ in plumage and productivity.
In 1980 the number of Obroshino geese exceeded 4 000. They are mainly raised in Lvov, Volyn and Cherkassy regions, as well as in Moldavia and some regions of the Russian Federation.
The birds have a strong constitution, a small head and bright orange bill. The neck is straight, of medium length. The breast is broad and deep, the back erect, and the tail short and straight. The plumage is grey except for the abdomen which is white. There is a dark brown stripe on the head and neck. Geese of the C2 type have a white stripe on the breast.
The live weight of males is 6.8-7.2 kg and that of females is 6.3-6.8 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 4 kg or more with 2.9-3.3 kg of feed required per kg of weight gain. The egg production in the first cycle is 40 eggs or more. Birds mature at the age of 9-9.5 months. Egg weight is 155-160 g. Reproductive performance is good. The average hatching rate is 65-70% but can reach 80-82%.
The meat qualities are good, and the fertility and hatchability are 80-89%. Obroshino geese are good grazers and well adapted to the climatic conditions of the southeastern Ukraine. They have fine down and feathers. The survival rate of young and adults is 90-100%.
At present pedigree breeding is under way at the Institute of Animal Husbandry for the Western Regions of the Ukraine. Selection is aimed at obtaining a breed. Strains have already been established.
A breed group developed in the Ukraine by crossing local geese with the Chinese breed. It was rather popular in Chernigov region and adjacent areas. In 1974 the flocks of these geese had more than 2100 birds; in 1980 their number declined to 1500 birds. At present the population is even smaller. Pereyaslav geese are raised mainly on private plots and individual poultry farms in Chernigov region and Krasnodar territory.
In conformation, size and colour Pereyaslav geese resemble the Chinese Grey breed. The body is medium-sized, raised in front; the neck is long. The head is large with a knob on the forehead. There is a "purse" under the bill and a fold on the abdomen. The plumage is dense. Back and wings are dark grey, with a dark greyish-brown stripe down the back of the neck. The bill is dark and the tarsi are rose-coloured.
The live weight of adult birds is relatively low; males weigh 4.5-5.0 kg and females 3.8-4.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.0 kg. Egg production is high -50-60 eggs. Egg weight is 140 g. Meat qualities are poor.
Among the biological properties of these geese one should point out their reproductive performance. The fertility of eggs is 80-90% and the hatching rate is 70%. The breed is well adapted to local conditions. The survival rate of young and adults is 85-95%.
The reduction in the former numbers of Pereyaslav geese is due to the introduction of new breeds with better meat qualities. However these geese can be used for obtaining material with high reproductive performance.
A breed developed in Pskov region by crossing local breeds with the wild white-headed geese which used to live there. Crossbreds were bred inter se and the best individuals were selected. During the war (1941-45) the breed almost ceased to exist. The few individuals remaining were used to restore the breed. At present a small number of birds exist in the Pskov and adjacent regions. They are predominantly raised on private plots.
The body is horizontal, broad and deep. The head is large, with a white spot on the forehead; the bill and the neck are short. The legs are short and the shanks are orange. The plumage of back and wings is steel-grey; breast and abdomen are lighter. Some birds are light grey, with a dark stripe down the back of the neck. Most birds have a fold on the abdomen.
The average live weight of males is 6.0 kg and that of females is 5.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.5 kg. Egg production is only 15-20 eggs. The females mature at the age of 10 months. In optimal conditions of keeping and feeding egg production reaches 30 eggs. The average egg weight is 180 g.
Major biological features of Pskov Bald geese, like other local breeds, are their good adaptation to local conditions and high viability under extensive conditions. They have good weight gains. Under optimal conditions of feeding and management the live weight of the young can reach 3.8-4.0 kg by the age of 60 days.
The reduction in the numbers of these geese is due to their low productivity.
Pskov Bald geese are of some value as a genetic resource and will be included in the conservation flock of the All-Union Institute of Poultry Breeding. To this end, Pskov and adjacent regions are being searched for the most typical specimens in terms of colour, size and constitution. Their economic value and productive qualities are being investigated.
A breed obtained from local geese of Poltava region by means of mass selection aimed at improving their productive characteristics. Romny geese were widely spread in Chernigov, Sumy, Poltava, Kiev and other regions of the Ukraine.
In 1974 there were 38 500 birds of this breed; by 1980 their numbers had declined to 24 500. At present there are even fewer. They are mainly raised on general farms and on private plots.
The body is deep and broad. The head is small and rounded, with a short, straight bill of orange colour. The breast is broad and deep. The wings are well developed; the tail is small, slightly raised. Adult geese have one or two skin (fat) folds on the abdomen. The plumage is grey, white or pied. Most birds are grey; the neck and back are dark grey, the breast grey and the abdomen light grey. The legs are short and strong with orange shanks and feet.
Adult males weigh 6 kg or more and females 5.5 kg. The live weight of 60-day-old goslings is 3.4-3.5 kg. Egg production is 15-20 eggs in the first cycle lasting 4-4.5 months. Egg weight is 160-170 g. The hatching rate is 60-65%.
The breed is known for its efficient weight gains, tender and fat meat, and fine down and feathers. The fertility and hatchability are sufficiently high, 80 and 75-80%, respectively.
The reduction in numbers is due to slow weight gain up to the age of 60 days and low market quality of the carcass because of the plumage colour.
The germ plasm of Romny geese is useful for the development of new breeds and parental lines adapted to the climatic conditions of the Ukraine, and of groups with high down and feather qualities. Studies are under way to determine the combining ability of these geese with other breeds in order to obtain a maternal line of higher productivity.
A breed also known as Silk, Astrakhan, Turkish or Sevastopol Ribbon geese. These names indicate the localities of their origin and distribution. Previously the breed was raised on a rather wide scale and it used to number more than 50 000 head. The birds also had a higher productivity than the existing population. At present small flocks of these geese are raised on private plots in the south of the country and by amateur poultrymen.
The birds are small. The plumage is white or grey white. The peculiar feature the breed is the long curled feathers on the shoulders, wings, tail, and among the pack coverts. Hence the name of the breed.
The live weight of males is 5-6 kg and that of females is 4.5-4.7 kg. The young gain weight slowly: 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.2-3.5 kg. Egg production is only 20-25 eggs. Egg weight is 160 g. There is a group of Sebastopol geese with a flower live weight but with a higher average egg production of 30-35 eggs per layer. -Biological features of the breed include slow feathering and low growth rate of the young birds. Reproductive performance is low with fertility only 60-65%. For these reasons Sebastopol geese are currently raised on a limited scale, the main emphasis being laid on the plumage, not on the commercial value and productivity of the birds. The live weight of geese and their egg production in these populations are much lower than the figures quoted above. Amateur poultrymen raise these geese as ornamental birds. One should point out, however, that the productivity of the breed improves noticeably when birds are kept in better conditions. According to the data of the Ail-Union Institute of Poultry Breeding, the live weight of the 60-day-old young does not differ from that of many other small populations, and the hatching rate reaches 70-75%.
This is an old local breed obtained by long selection for adaptation to the severe climatic conditions of Siberia and the Urals.
The breed was not raised on a large scale. In 1974 there were 6600 birds; by 1980 numbers had declined to 1600 and at present remain at this level.
The head is small, the neck short, the bill short and straight. Shadrin geese differ from other breeds in having only 16 neck vertebrae instead of the usual 17 or 18. The body is compact and there is a small fold on the abdomen. The legs are short and the wings are strong. The plumage is grey, white or pied. The shanks and feet are orange-red.
The live weight of adult males is 5.5-6.5 kg and that of females is 4.5-5.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.2-3.6 kg. Egg production is low and ranges from 20 to 25 eggs in four months; some birds lay 35-40 eggs. Egg weight is 150-160 g. The hatching rate is 50-55%.
Birds of this breed are well adapted to severe conditions and are characterized by hardiness under extensive conditions. The geese are good brooders and broody birds account for 45-55% of females:
The limited distribution and reduction of the former numbers of Shadrin geese are due to their low commercial value and reproductive performance.
No meaningful breeding is currently under way with this breed. They are raised chiefly on private plots in regions adjacent to the Urals. On general farms Shadrin geese are usually raised on a limited scale and are used for crossing with more productive breeds.
A breed group produced on Beriozki state farm in Moscow region by crossing Toulouse geese with the Kholmogory breed and mating the crossbreds with Chinese geese. Selection was aimed at obtaining a higher live weight and better egg production, fertility and hatchability. Geese of this breed group are raised chiefly in the Moscow region. Small flocks are kept in Solnechnogorsk and other districts mainly on private plots and individual farms.
The body is massive, broad and deep. The head is elongated, with a small knob on the forehead at the base of the bill; in some birds the knob is missing. The breast is broad, deep and rounded. The wings are well developed and close to the body. The legs are short and the shanks and feet are orange. The plumage is white, sometimes with a tinge of grey on the wing tips.
The live weight of males is 7-8 kg and that of females averages 6 kg. The young gain weight fast. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.8-4.0 kg. The egg production is 35-40 eggs. Birds mature at the age of 9-9.5 months. Egg weight is 170-180 g.
Solnechnogorsk geese are well adapted to the climatic conditions of Moscow region. Their reproductive qualities are good. The hatching rate is 65-70%. Both young and adult birds gain weight fast. The yield of first-grade carcasses is 80-85%.
The limited distribution and reduction in numbers are due to the introduction of breeds with faster weight gains up to the age of 60 days.
This breed was developed in France and is very popular in European countries. Geese of this breed were imported to the USSR a long time ago. Acclimatization and breeding have somewhat changed the breed.
Toulouse geese were raised on a large scale in Kalinin, Vladimir, Moscow, Leningrad and other regions. In 1980 there were 11 400 birds of this breed; at present their numbers are smaller.
It is a meat breed and the birds are large. The body is broad, deep and massive, horizontally placed. The head is broad and short; the bill is straight and pale orange. The neck is of medium length and thick. The legs are short and massive; the shanks and feet are orange-red. There is a "purse" on the neck under the bill and a fold on the abdomen. Some birds have only a "purse" or only a fold; some have neither. The plumage on the back is dark grey, the abdomen white, the head grey, and the breast light grey.
The live weight of males is 7-10 kg and that of females is 6-8 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.8-4.0 kg. Egg production is 25-35 eggs; egg weight is 170-200 g. The hatching rate is 50-55%.
Productivity is drastically reduced when birds are raised under extensive conditions. Under optimal conditions Toulouse geese have high meat qualities, gain weight fast and and produce a lot of fat. The yield of edible parts is some 68% of the carcass. The hatching rate is 70-75%. The survival rate of the young is 90-95%. Geese of this breed have been used for developing new breed groups.
At present Toulouse geese are raised in Kalinin and Moscow regions and in Estonia. Selection work is currently under way in order to maintain the standards achieved, to obtain faster weight gains of the young and improve meat qualities.
Studies at the Ail-Union Institute of Poultry Breeding show that the breed can be used for crossing to obtain young suitable for fattening to produce enlarged fat livers weighing 400 g or more.
A breed group developed in Lithuania by selection of local geese with high productivity. Later, these geese were crossed with East Prussian, Embden and Pomeranian geese.
Previously, the breed group was very popular in Lithuania. At present commercial farms of the republic raise predominantly Rhenish and Italian geese which have a greater commercial value. Vishtines geese are raised on private plots in Lithuania and Estonia, on Pydrangu State farm, and on other farms in Estonia.
The body is broad and deep, horizontally placed. The head is round and medium-sized; the bill is orange-red. The neck is curved, of medium length. The breast is broad and protuberant. The legs are short; the shanks and feet are orange. There are one or two skin folds on the abdomen. The plumage is white.
The live weight of males is 6.0-6.5 kg and that of females is 5.5-6.0 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.8-4.0 kg. Birds mature at the age of 9.5 months. Egg production is 30-40 eggs. Egg weight is 160-170 g. The hatching rate is 60-65%.
The meat qualities of the breed are rather good. Edible parts account for 68-70%; fat content is 13-14%. The survival rate of the young is 75% and that of adults is 90-95%. For these reasons, as well as because of the plumage colour on which the quality of carcass depends, and satisfactory reproductive performance (fertility and hatchability are 80-82% and 70-75% respectively), the breed is raised either as a purebred or as a parental form for broiler production.
A breed group developed at Pioneer breeding plant in Vladimir region. The breed is based on geese with clay-coloured plumage obtained by crossing Kholmogory White geese with the Toulouse Grey. The resulting crossbreds were then bred inter se and typical individuals were selected according to the plumage, good reproductive performance and high live weight.
Previously these geese were very popular in Vladimir and adjacent regions. By 1980 their numbers had declined to 230 birds. At present there are small flocks at Pioneer breeding plant and on private plots of local inhabitants.
The conformation is compact. The head is small and rounded. The breast is broad and rounded; the neck is of moderate length. There are one or two skin folds on the abdomen. The legs are of moderate length. The plumage is clay-coloured of darker or lighter shade.
The live weight of adult males is high - 7.0-7.5 kg; individual birds reach 10-12 kg. Females also have a high live weight ranging from 6.0 to 6.5 kg. The 60-day-old goslings weigh 3.6-3.8 kg. Egg production is 35-40 eggs. Egg weight is 170-180 g. In reproductive performance, Vladimir Clay geese are similar to the Kholmogory breed and in meat qualities they resemble the Toulouse.
A major biological feature of this breed is high egg production in the first productive year, reaching 55 eggs. The survival rate of the young and adult birds is also high, 80-100 and 95-100% respectively.
Valdimir Clay geese represent a valuable genetic resource which is useful to produce new populations. They are raised on general farms and household plots.
