Breeding geese, with a properly developed care plan, is a simple and profitable business. Geese should be bred on a farm or in your own garden, if it has a lot of greenery and a pond. Geese are unpretentious birds and do not require special care. Meanwhile, geese provide raw feathers and several kilograms of meat. So, breeding geese as a business is a good opportunity for income from the sale of meat, or a large live goose. Geese also grow very quickly; after 8-9 weeks, the goose grows into an adult bird. If you seriously decide to start raising geese for business or for meat, then read about all the nuances in our article.
Let's say you decide to raise geese, and you already know for sure that you will build your own business in this way. Where should I start? Where and how to raise geese? Of course, you need to buy geese somewhere. Select a supplier and prepare the premises. Here's what you need to do first. There are several dozen breeds of geese: Chinese, Kuban, white, gray. In general, decide which ones to grow yourself. The main thing is that all birds are vaccinated and examined by a veterinarian. The room in which the geese will live must be warm, dry, well ventilated, without drafts.
Breeding and keeping geese in the first weeks of their life is possible on the floor or in cages. After three weeks, the geese can be released from their cages for walking. If the number of birds is small, then you can use ordinary iron cages with insulation. 10-15 goslings should be placed in each cage, and a vacuum drinking bowl should be placed there. A feeder needs to be attached along the width of the entire cage so that each gosling can approach it. The depth of the cage should be no more than 50 centimeters. To purchase goslings that will only bring benefits, you need to pay attention to the following factors. Choose:
- Active goslings, with bulging, shiny eyes, and good plumage.
- Goslings that respond to sound, with soft bellies.
Caring for geese involves many factors. It is necessary to adhere to the temperature regime, light regime, a certain level of humidity, and observe the rules of air exchange. As for temperature, during the first three weeks, when the ducklings are still small, they need a lot of warmth. It is better to maintain the temperature during this period at 29-30 degrees. Then, when the ducklings approach 3-5 weeks of age, the temperature can be lowered to 22-20 degrees. If you use some kind of local heaters or greenhouses, then the temperature inside the cells should be about 30 degrees, while the room temperature is allowed at 26 degrees.
At the age of 4-9 weeks, the temperature can be up to 20 degrees, after 12 weeks the temperature can be lowered to 14 degrees. If the weather worsens, increase the temperature, as birds sense drafts and wind. Geese can tell what temperature should be in the cage by their behavior. Watch their movements. For example, if birds shrink and curl up, then the temperature for them is low, they do not have enough warmth. If the geese are active, consume food well and move around in small groups, then the temperature in the cage is optimal. When the goslings are hot and need to lower their temperature, they begin to make sounds and constantly drink water. As for lighting, during the first 2-3 weeks of goslings’ lives, lighting in the cages should be constant, at least 20 hours a day. Then you can remove it gradually, and by 12 weeks, the lighting should be no more than 14 hours a day.
Geese for meat
Feeding and watering geese is very important if you focus on raising geese for meat. You can feed goslings with a variety of foods. It's best to buy:
- Wheat and corn dirt.
- Soybean meal and cake.
- Meat and bone meal, fish meal and grass meal.
- Nutritional yeast and a variety of greens.
- Dandelions, nettles, carrots, parsley.
In the first weeks of life, you can feed ducklings with cottage cheese, boiled eggs and whey. Naturally, all food should be good quality and fresh. You need to start feeding the goslings as soon as you transport them to their cages. You can start with dry food and make various mixtures. You need to feed 6-7 times a day. To increase appetite and give strength to goslings, vitamin C can be added to the water at the rate of one drop per liter of water. Goslings, after one week of existence, can already add more solid food to their diet.
Breeding domestic geese means that the birds will not be able to look for food on their own, so until the goslings grow up and grow in an aviary or pen, you must feed and water them yourself. Adult geese eat up to 2 kilograms of grass per day. The best feed option can be called compound feed, which contains all the necessary minerals. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase feed for geese, mix various flours, carrots, grated peas and make the mixture yourself. You can buy various vitamins and food additives in pet stores. Fattening of geese usually begins in August. By this time, the goose gains up to 4 kg of meat. In the last 10 days of fattening, geese should be fed steamed grain 4-6 times a day. 15 days before you want to slaughter the geese, you need to stop letting them out for walking. Leave them in a warm place so they retain their plumage.
Goose slaughter
Geese need to be slaughtered at the age of 70-75 days. It is during this period of time that the goose reaches its maximum weight, up to 4 kilograms. Further, with subsequent growth, the goose carcass deteriorates, as it begins to shed its plumage and stops growing. If you did not have time to slaughter the geese at this age, then you need to wait until the goose reaches 120 days of age. IN in this case the goose will change its plumage. But this is practical, and with financial side not profitable, since you will have to continue feeding the geese. After the goose reaches 70 days of age, the weight of the goose will not change, but only the amount of fat in the carcass will increase.
Diseases
In such a matter as breeding geese, not only feeding, care and living conditions are important. Prevention of various diseases should also be carried out. Because if the goslings get sick, they will not produce such good meat, and the period of their growing up will increase. Therefore, follow these recommendations:
In this simple way, you can raise geese, and I hope our article will help you in this matter.
At home, they do not receive much income.
Simply because the number of heads in a regular barn can only be accommodated a little.
Typically, such farms raise poultry for themselves, and not for sale.
If you engage in raising this bird as a business, you can make quite a decent profit. But for this you need to know all the nuances and features of such activities.
Breeding geese is a profitable business if you approach it responsibly. In this article we will consider in detail the topic of raising geese for meat.
The first thing an entrepreneur needs to understand is that breeding and growing is quite a profitable business, but it requires quite a bit of investment.
This will require a plot of land and certification of products, which requires quite a bit of money.
In general, the bird itself is unpretentious. But breeding it will require special skills. Regular breeding of geese for meat on a personal plot is unlikely to bring much profit.
Geese require constant supervision and a well-equipped, warm room. If you just come to them sometimes, you won’t get much profit. Therefore, in order for geese breeding to bring greater profit, it is necessary to determine:
- Availability of demand in the region.
- The amount of competition.
- Possible market and cost. In some regions, the price of goose meat is higher than that of pig meat.
- Premises: own or rented. And also the wasteland near it, about two hectares.
With a properly developed business plan, you can get a good income from a goose. You can sell not only meat, but also lard, feathers and eggs. There is a special breed that is bred specifically for the sale of liver. It makes an expensive delicacy. But here it is important to find a good market.
The advantage of growing is as follows:
- they are resistant to various diseases
- the bird is not picky about food
You can make a big profit from raising geese if you take into account all the needs of the bird. And she needs:
- Sufficient walking area.
- Availability of greenery.
- Artificially made or real pond.
If all of the above is available, you can safely purchase poultry. Properly organized activities will not delay the stage of making a profit. Moreover, geese are excellent consumers of pasture. In summer they feed on meadow grass and vegetable tops.
70% of their diet can consist of just such food.
In addition, this bird is able to eat wild: plantain, dandelion and the like.
Such nutrition reduces the additional need for poultry feed in warm seasons.
Raising geese for meat at home is beneficial only for yourself. It's always fresh eggs and meat.
However, we should not forget that in order to make a big profit, it is not enough to have a bunch of geese and simply release them to graze in a nearby meadow.
To thrive, you need to think about additional equipment, feeding and, of course, a well-heated room.
Preparing to purchase poultry
Before you start purchasing birds, you should prepare their territory. Let's look at what geese need step by step:
- Land area for raising and walking poultry. It is better to purchase land away from the city. To keep geese in free grazing you will need 10 meters of land per head. On a homestead farm you will need a forty-meter pen for three hundred birds. But there must be a way out: both to the meadow and to the barn.
- There should be one shed square meter for four birds. It should be well heated. In winter, the air temperature in it should not fall below eight degrees. The limbs of a goose are very sensitive to cold, so they should be kept on special bedding.
- The best option would be if there is a pond near the farm. Otherwise, you will have to make an artificial pond, since this bird loves water. One thousand heads will require two hundred square meters of area. The banks of the pond should be dotted with grass.
- You should first study the poultry market. Otherwise, the divorced farm simply will not pay off.
- Please note that geese are subject to mandatory certification. Therefore, you will have to invite a veterinary service to the farm.
In addition to the main aspects outlined above, you should also look at auxiliary equipment. When raising poultry you will need an incubator, brooder and nests. Meat needs to be stored somewhere, so there must be refrigerators.
A place to store feed should be determined. And also think about the transportation of products.
They are mainly sold for fattening. But they are poor producers. It is better to start with goslings, and after making a profit, buy breeding females and males. You need to purchase poultry from certified factories - it will be easier to obtain a certificate for the quality of your products.
If we consider life practice, it is definitely clear that it is better to buy an abandoned farm building than to start construction from scratch. When breeding large quantity poultry, you can build the poultry house to the required size.
Goose selection
Before choosing a breed, you should study the specifics of each of them.
Some species are specially bred for meat, and some for egg production.
Here you should take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of each breed.
The first thing that needs to be determined is why the farmer is purchasing the poultry.
Then there will be no problems with the choice.
The most popular breeds are:
- Kuban. They are the most egg-laying, capable of producing ninety eggs in a year. The downside is that they are very light.
- Edmen geese are famous precisely for their weight. Which is a definite selling advantage.
- The Arzamas look is light, but the taste of meat is canceled.
The most versatile geese are “White”. They include many positive characteristics in total. Which is important for business.
The Legart breed quickly gains weight and is highly profitable. This is due to the fact that on average such a goose consumes 20% less food than other breeds.
The main feature of poultry is its purchase from various producers. If you cross relatives with each other positive qualities and performance will be significantly reduced.
When choosing males, you should pay attention to a healthy and strong build. One healthy male is capable of fertilizing many females at once. Therefore, the process of selecting it should be approached more carefully. This usually happens by the end of February.
Eggs should be placed in an incubator with a temperature of no more than 13 degrees, and also no less than 7.
They should be placed acute angle to the bottom, while turning it over every day.
All geese lay eggs at different times.
If she is unable to hatch eggs, but she lays a sufficient number of them, she should add them to others. It's best to do this after the sun has set.
Feeding
Little goslings begin to be fed almost immediately. When they dry their fluff under the goose's belly. When they are 3 days old they need to be given food every 2 hours.
To do this, mix cereals, legumes, eggs, wheat and nettles into a paste. This complementary feeding will help them gain weight quite easily. During the brooding period, geese are fed fermented milk products, herbs and peas.
The same is given to chicks. Water and drink for birds should always be clean and warm. The same applies to the barn they are in.
Close attention is paid to poultry that is raised for sale for meat. For them, half the daily dose is greens. And they mix it with it legumes, soybean or sunflower cake.
At proper nutrition the individual will grow by four kilograms in two and a half months.
They use two feeding methods: fast and meadow.
The second option is used more often, since the costs are minimal.
But for this you should choose a good pasture, with a lot of meadow grass.
The first feeding option is advantageous in that the goose will be consumed faster. Main principle This feeding consists of restricting movement. They are kept in small cages with a hole for access to the feeder. The feed is: corn, oats and wheat. A goose raised in this way is ready for slaughter within a month and a half.
Result
- One goose, when sold for meat, will cost approximately 1,200 rubles.
- To build the premises and organize the business you will need about 200 thousand rubles.
- To purchase 500 birds, you will need about 40 thousand rubles.
- The price of hay is approximately 30 thousand rubles. It is more profitable to collect your own hay if possible.
- Approximately 50 thousand rubles will be spent on raw materials and equipment.
- The bird must be vaccinated periodically. To do this, you need to organize vaccinations. It costs about 30 rubles to prick one bird once. And this needs to be done twice a year: in summer and autumn.
- And of course, labor. It’s good when the business is family-owned, then you won’t have to pay anyone extra.
- At official registration activities will have to pay additional taxes.
Based on all of the above, it is clear that the first profit can be obtained somewhere in a year. But what percentage of profitability the activity will have depends on the farmer himself. In general, with a number of heads of 500 pieces, the profitability reaches about eighty percent.
Have you heard that breeding geese is the most profitable business? But you don’t have enough information about what to feed them and what is the fattening period? And also don’t know when to kill them? You can find out about all this on our website. Namely, in this article you will find detailed information about when you can slaughter geese.
Deciding on the slaughter period is not so easy. First you need to understand why the bird is bred? If you keep geese only for yourself and your pleasure, then they can live for a very long time and die of old age. But if there are a lot of them, then it is better to thin out the herd in the fall.
In this case, it is recommended to select the most productive individuals in an amount of no more than 5 pieces, and use the rest. You can start cutting them as early as October or November, it depends on how well the bird is fattened. If you don’t have time, then it’s better to wait another year, since in winter the breeding season begins for geese and they lose a fair amount of weight.
Now let's talk about the young animals. To the question of when you can cut it, only you know the answer. Now I’ll explain why. The fact is that the period when young animals begin to be slaughtered depends on what you feed them. That is, if the components of the feed were only natural ingredients, then, depending on the breed of bird, you can start slaughtering young animals from the age of seven months.
Well, if the geese were fed fattening feed, then at the age of two or three months their carcass will weigh approximately 3-4 kg. And slaughter can begin profitably already at this age. And with a mixed feeding option, you can start cutting at about five months. It is also worth remembering that they gain their optimal weight only in the second year of their life.
If you decide to eat meat and feed them special feed for broilers, then the most the best option will be slaughtered at 72 days of age. With this kind of feeding, by this time they will have grown enough. Also during this period, feathers finish renewing and the goose carcass will be smooth and without stumps. If you don’t have time, then it’s better to wait the same amount of time, that is, slaughter on the 144th day.
Those who breed geese for pleasure should remember that the bird will be most productive in the first five years of its life. It is not recommended to keep it longer. After this period, it is better to renew the herd.
- Due to the fact that in spring, summer and autumn, geese spend all day grazing, they are considered the most economical bird in terms of nutrition. At this time of year, pasture is the basis of their diet.
- They love to walk, so even in winter severe frosts they should be allowed out into the yard for at least 1 hour.
- If you have large vegetable garden, then having previously prepared, it will be easy and profitable in winter.
- This bird perfectly recognizes its owner by its steps; if it is a stranger, a flock of several individuals will not let it pass.
- Geese in the herd have a strict hierarchy that all individuals adhere to.
- It is important that the goose lays at least the first 3 eggs in the nest. Then she will definitely return to the nest, no matter where the herd wanders.
- All are exclusively meat breeds.
- In terms of weight among poultry, they are second only to turkeys.
- Geese eat more at night than during the day, this is especially true in winter. Therefore, it is better to leave plenty of grain in the feeders at night.
- It is necessary to prevent them from becoming obese, because then all the eggs will be unfertilized.
- Feeding wheat will immediately lead to obesity.
- You can feed plenty of grain only if it is oats or millet. The bird will never get fat from them.
- The best option would be to feed sprouted grain.
Video “Goose farm - how to breed and keep birds”
Features of keeping and breeding birds in household An experienced farmer will tell you about the life and care of birds in our video.
Slaughter of Geese
It’s very sad to write this article, but in this article we will talk about how to properly produce Slaughter of Geese. The slaughter of geese implies compliance with a certain list of rules.
Failure to comply with these important rules can lead to a deterioration in the nutritional and taste qualities of meat. It should also be said that the further shelf life of meat will depend on proper slaughter.
Preparing Geese before slaughter.
Geese selected for Slaughter must be prepared for slaughter in advance (and it is advisable to fatten the Geese before slaughter). The stomach and intestines must be completely cleared of food by the time of slaughter, so Geese are not fed for 7-12 hours (this time is called sitting).
However, under no circumstances should the bird be confined to water. It is better to give slightly salted water, this will help preserve the meat of a slaughtered goose longer. During the nesting period, Geese must be isolated from the general herd.
The room for keeping Geese must be very clean and dry. Since the bird will be without food for a long time, it may begin to eat droppings, so you should closely monitor the cleanliness and darken the room.
Usually slaughter occurs in the first half of the day. There are two ways: outer And interior. Most likely, the most convenient method for many poultry farmers is the external method of slaughtering geese.
Immediately before slaughter, Geese must have their legs tied. The wings should be folded over each other. The bird should then be hung upside down.
External method of slaughtering Geese.
For external slaughter, the poultry farmer will need a well-sharpened knife. With one hand they take Goose by the neck, which hangs upside down.
Behind the earlobe, the skin should be cut along with the carotid artery, towards the jaw. Then you need to wait a few minutes for bleeding.
Before slaughtering a bird, it is advisable to study its anatomy. Your movements will become more confident and precise, which will subsequently reduce the unpleasant slaughter process.
Ideally, you need to make sure that the blood drains out as quickly as possible and preferably all of it. Since a carcass from which glass is not all blood cannot be stored for a long time and consumption can be dangerous.
After the blood has drained, you need to pluck the Goose carcass. It is advisable to start with large feathers - from the wings and tail. Next, use a knife to remove fine fluff and so on. Afterwards the Goose is singed and gutted.
Thus, Goose Slaughter will bring you 2.4-3.5 kilograms of pure goose meat.
For completeness of information, I also provide
Internal method of slaughtering Geese.
Cutting large blood vessels inside the oral cavity on the left side ensures the most complete bleeding of the carcass. The slaughter method is called internal, when the technique is as follows: scissors with sharpened ends are inserted into the Goose’s oral cavity and the blood vessels from the back of the palate under the tongue are cut, after which the bird is taken by the legs, holding the head so that the blood flows out in a trickle.
The simplest method of slaughter is when the Goose's head is cut off and hung by its feet to bleed it dry.
Immediately after slaughter, it is necessary to pluck the Goose (as the carcass cools, this is much more difficult to do). The feathers from the Goose are removed either dry or after preliminary scalding with water at 55-60 C.
During plucking, large feathers are first plucked from the tail and wings, then from the chest, back, legs, and neck. Separately place small and large feathers. After the main plucking, the remaining stumps are plucked using a dull knife, the fluffs are plucked, and the carcass is lightly singed.
After plucking, the peritoneum of the carcass is cut from the cloaca to the keel of the chest and removed through the hole. internal organs. The following are released: trachea, lungs, glandular stomach, esophagus, gall bladder, spleen, ovary, testes.
The liver and gizzard are eaten (after removing the cuticle and contents). The head is cut off at the second cervical vertebra, the legs are cut off to the metatarsal joint, and the wings to the elbow.
The gutted carcass is washed cold water and cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
After the carcass has cooled, it is cooked or stored. In summer, beaten poultry can be stored at room temperature for no more than one and a half days.
When slaughtering Geese, I will immediately cut off the long goose necks to feed them to the Dogs. I consider it possible to give Goose Necks to Dogs after they have cooled down - about three hours after Slaughter.
During the mass slaughter of Geese, necks can be frozen and gradually fed to Dogs.
The question arises: How to catch a Goose destined for Slaughter? The simplest way- using something like a fishing rod: a rope is tied to the end of the stick, and a small weight is tied to the free end of the rope. Having identified the Goose and approached him, you need to sharply swing the stick and hit the Goose’s neck with the rope - the load will spin around the Goose’s neck, and you can take the Goose where you need it.
If you pull sharply, the nerve fibers on the Goose's neck will rupture, after which you need to bleed the carcass in any way and cut up the Goose.
I invite everyone to speak out in
How long should a goose grow before it is slaughtered? And how to determine the time when you can slaughter a goose? Ivan
Unlike other varieties of poultry, this one is famous for its unpretentiousness to living conditions, quickly acclimatizes to the proposed weather conditions, and is omnivorous. Only young animals that are raised without a mother require increased attention. How to create optimal conditions for the normal growth and development of this poultry, at what time and how exactly should the bird be slaughtered?
Adult geese, being in a herd, feel good in a pen and easily resist predators - dogs, cats, foxes. They enjoy grazing, have an excellent appetite, and are not picky about types of food. By breeding geese, you can get good profit. They give meat high quality, which can be an excellent alternative to boring chicken.
From geese you can get such a delicacy as liver, which is the main component of the foie gras dish. Their fluff and feathers are valuable products that can also be used for your own purposes or sold profitably.
Goslings require delicate treatment and almost round-the-clock care. Goslings are strong and hardy babies; even inexperienced farmers can cope with their breeding. A warm and bright room is suitable for living goslings - such that it can accommodate 8 - 10 goslings per square meter. In the far part of the pen for the goslings you should make a resting area. On the opposite side, drinkers and feeders are installed. For goslings up to 10 days old, sawdust is used as bedding. It is important to provide the geese with a temperature regime - when raised without a hen, it is 27 - 29 degrees Celsius in the pen.
For heating you can use a special one. When the geese grow up, it will be enough for them to artificially maintain lighting for 17 hours a day. To organize your diet, experts advise using ready-made mixed feed that has a balanced composition.
The diet of goslings should include such healthy foods as boiled eggs, bone meal, low-fat cottage cheese. From 10 days of age, future geese should be given finely chopped young nettles, yarrow greens, dandelions, green onions. When the goslings grow up, they are given another feeder, where solid feed is poured - wheat, crushed corn grains, millet and others. cereal crops. Meals for goslings should be crumbly so that their use cannot harm the babies' respiratory tract. Water must be present in drinking bowls constantly and in sufficient quantity. When your pets grow up and are 10-15 days old, the likelihood of losing livestock will become several times less.
When the weather is good, the poultry is taken out into the air. Fresh seasonal greens, insects, and exposure to sunlight strengthen the bodies of growing babies and promote their proper development. Geese in the presence of grass may stop eating food from feeders. Therefore, they are given prepared mash no more than 3–5 times a day. In the summer, the birds are fed in the morning, before pasture and in the evening; the rest of the time the diet is based on green food. An adult goose loves any variety of herbs and is able to eat about 2 kg of grass per day. Vegetables are indispensable in the diet of birds of this species. Overgrown zucchini, cucumbers, torn carrot roots, green corn leaves and many other crops will become vitamin-rich food for your pets.
It is not recommended to give beets to geese - they can cause intestinal upset. It is good to raise these birds if your site is located near a body of water of any size. In the absence of it, be sure to place a container of water in the poultry yard - birds love to take water procedures.
Optimal time for slaughter
In addition to raising geese, it is important to carry out their timely, proper slaughter and plucking. When breeding this type of bird, how long should it take before it can be slaughtered? To determine this point, you need to check whether natural loss of feathers has occurred, and whether new stumps are appearing. Do a simple test - run your hand along the body against the growth of the feathers. If new stumps are not visible to the touch, the bird is ready for slaughter. Slaughter begins after three months.
How much does an adult goose weigh during this period? About 4 kilograms. It is acceptable to cut the adults a little later, when you feed them mixed. It is not recommended to overexpose the bird, since with age there is more sebaceous deposits. As a result, the quality and market value of meat decreases.
Cutting a bird at home is not so easy. It is necessary to first clean the crop and intestines from food debris. The bird stops feeding 10 hours before the start of the process. Give a lot of liquid to drink, adding some salt to it first. This will help in the future to increase the shelf life of carcasses and keep them safe. taste qualities meat products.
The birds are prepared at night in a separate room in order to begin performing manipulations in the morning.
The wings need to be folded to one side and the paws tied. The following methods of poultry slaughter are used: internal and external. Internal is carried out using scissors. The bird is hung upside down and the artery is cut through the beak by advancing the scissors to the base of the skull. Using an ax, the head of a bird suspended upside down is cut off and the blood is allowed to drain into a prepared vessel. The external method involves hitting the bird on the head, piercing the ear with a sharp object, or cutting the carotid artery.
Pay attention to the differences in the diet of pets at different stages of cultivation. If in the summer they ate food of plant origin, then by autumn it was time to gain weight and accumulate fat. Since September, birds are less often allowed out for walks, and their diet should be based on wet mash, which is prepared from steamed feed with small boiled potatoes, grated beets and other ingredients. When the herd is mature and pets are in sight all day, you need to select individuals with leadership qualities to produce offspring in the future. The gander must be an authoritative leader and have the characteristic features of the breed.
As for the slaughter of poultry, after finishing the procedure it is important to leave the carcass so that all the blood can drain out. Otherwise, you risk spoiling the meat - reducing its shelf life or making it unfit for consumption. Blood flows out within a period of 5 to 20 minutes. When slaughtering, it is important to know the anatomy of the bird, use sharpened tools, and perform all manipulations quickly and accurately.
Video “How to pluck and gut a goose?”