Geese - breeds, keeping and breeding of poultry

Wild geese are large waterfowl found in the Northern Hemisphere, usually near bodies of fresh water. These are migratory birds. They choose southern territories for wintering, located at a considerable distance from breeding sites. Each species has its own way of life. Gray geese nest in forests, near lakes and rivers, while half-toed and spurred geese nest in steppes and savannas.

The tundra of Europe, Asia, the countries of North America - this is where wild geese most often live. But they can also be found in Australia, Africa and South America.

History of domestication

The domestic goose was domesticated in several areas at once: Its ancestors in the Middle East were Nile individuals. In Iran, Nile ancestors were crossed with gray and mountain species. From Iran, flocks spread throughout Central Asia. Another center of poultry domestication was China and Southeast Asia. And to this day, numerous breeds of domestic geese are divided precisely according to their origin.

Reproduction and lifespan

Domestic goose.
These birds are monogamous; they mate once and for life. Nests are made directly on the ground, in a place where there is dense vegetation. Do it near water, but in a dry place. A nest is built from branches, stems, and leaves. Inside it is a litter of down, which the female plucks from her chest. The clutch usually consists of 4-12 eggs. While the female incubates the eggs, the male guards the nest. A month later, chicks hatch from the eggs. From the next day after birth, the offspring can go down with their parents to the water and look for food. If the chicks are in any danger, the female protects them. Males hide at this time. Sexual maturity occurs in geese at the age of 2-3 years. The lifespan of geese in the wild is 20 years. In captivity, these birds can live up to 35 years.

What is a goose: a bird or an animal?

Of course, such a question may seem stupid to many now, because most are sure that geese are birds. Yes, of course it is, this is a separate genus of waterfowl from the duck family.

But if you look at the scientific classification, you will find the following information: Geese - belong to the animal kingdom, the chordate type and the bird class. So, whether they are animals or not, it depends on how you look.

Geese are common on almost all continents of the Earth (except Antarctica). They live on the shores of seas, rivers, lakes, in meadows or marshy areas. There are mountain views. Unlike swans and ducks, they spend much less time in water than on land. Today there are both wild and domestic species.

What causes red paws?

This question worries many people, especially children. What to answer to a child? There are several interesting stories and fairy tales about this among the people. Some people don’t go into too much detail, they say: they’re red because they’re frozen. But we understand that birds have this color of paws both in summer and winter.

If we consider the scientific point of view of why a goose has red feet, then the color is largely determined by the breed. They are found with dark, almost black limbs, yellow, orange and red. Many experts are sure that everything is connected with a special pigment. Some scientists cite the opinion that there are a lot of blood vessels on the paws of birds that help warm the limbs in the water. The skin is thin, so the blood network is clearly visible - creating a red effect.

Which of these versions is correct? Most professionals believe that the main reason is skin pigmentation, because blood vessels are located close to the skin in birds with dark feet.

general characteristics

Although geese are members of the duck family, they are quite different from ducks and swans. Unlike swans, for example, these birds have much smaller dimensions; in addition, their neck is much shorter, and their bridle is feathered.

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The beak of a goose, in comparison with a duck’s, is located higher and slightly more compressed on the sides, and the color of the feathers of female and male individuals is the same, unlike the same ducks. Also, every child knows that the goose is a migratory bird.

Are they nomadic?

Geese are originally migratory birds. But today only wild representatives have such a gift. But households have long lost this ability. But we think it’s not so bad for them even on their own plots. As for wild species, for example, the most famous of them is the gray goose, the birds winter in Southern Europe and Asia, as well as in North Africa.

They reach the wintering site in flocks, less often in a line and a wedge. The number at the time of migration ranges from a few to several hundred. During the period of rest on reservoirs, they usually gather in large groups of up to several thousand birds. In summer, during molting, wild geese live in a sedentary manner, because, firstly, they raise offspring, and, secondly, they temporarily lose the ability to fly due to the lack of flight feathers.

Description of geese

According to historical data, geese were one of the first birds domesticated by humans and their breeding has remained virtually unchanged for three thousand years. Mentions of geese as a source of valuable meat and feathers are found in ancient Roman, ancient Chinese, ancient Egyptian and even biblical texts.

The ancestors of the domestic goose include, first of all, the greylag goose, as well as the swan goose, the white-fronted goose, the lesser lesser white-fronted goose, the lesser goose, and the mountain goose.

All geese have a compact build with an egg-shaped body, a fairly long curved neck, a short tail and beak. The most common species are white with an orange beak and legs. However, there are also domestic breeds of piebald and gray colors. The average weight of birds is 7 kg for ganders and 6 kg for geese.

Where do birds spend the winter?

The wintering period for most species begins in mid- or early autumn. For this purpose, birds choose warm southern regions, where they can calmly wait out the harsh frosts of the taiga and tundra. If we talk separately about each variety, then:

Characteristic

Geese are classified based on the size of adults. There are three main varieties:

• large (heavy),
• average,
• small.

Large geese are the most common; they are better adapted than other species to breeding on an industrial scale. Middle-sized geese are widespread in households. But small breeds are rarely bred, mainly for decorative purposes.

Use in folk medicine

Goose fat is a very effective remedy in medicine. Since ancient times, people have used it as a remedy against severe frostbite or to relieve pain from burns. And today's home doctors successfully use ointments with goose fat for coughs, rubbing the chest with them. It is also a good helper for skin diseases such as psoriasis or eczema.

Frequent consumption of goose meat helps restore nerve endings and improve brain activity. It also has restorative and immunostimulating properties. This meat is also used for food by those who suffer from cholelithiasis. It is recommended to use it for various poisonings, since it contains trace elements that can remove toxic substances from the body. Goose meat contains a large amount of phosphorus, so it is recommended to use it for diseases associated with brittle bones, as well as for children, for the proper formation of the skeleton and bone tissue. It has goose meat and an antithrombosis effect, preventing atherosclerosis.

Interesting Facts

• In Ancient Greece, the goose was a sacred animal, it was kept as a pet, and the bird was admired and admired.
• Geese are very intelligent and tend to defend their territory. When alarmed, birds begin to scream loudly and flap their wings. This is how, according to legend, geese once saved Rome from invaders.
• From a biological point of view, these birds are relatives of ducks.
• Geese usually choose a mate for life. If one of the partners dies, the other may remain alone forever, or maybe find a new couple a few years later.
• The domestic variety of these birds came to Russia about four centuries ago, when it was brought by merchants from the German principalities.
• When a goose, of necessity, leaves a nest with eggs or chicks, the male always remains to guard it.
• Goose quills have been used for writing for centuries.
• There are teeth on the edges of a goose's beak.
• The penknife got its name from the small knives that were used to sharpen (sharpen) quills for writing.
• Geese live quite a long time - up to 25-30 years.
• To communicate with their own kind, they use a dozen different sounds.
• Wild geese always form a wedge when flying. This form of the flock helps to thin the air behind the first birds, and makes it easier for everyone else to fly.
• Domestic geese have long lost the ability to fly, partly due to more frequent molting and excess weight.
• To insulate the nest, the goose plucks its own feathers and down, despite the pain of this operation.
• Wild geese molt twice a year and are unable to fly for about a quarter of their lives due to the loss of feathers during this period.
• Little goslings can swim already on the second day after hatching from the egg.
• These birds were first domesticated by the ancient Egyptians, about 4 thousand years ago.
• In the USA, on cotton plantations, geese are used to weed fields. They don't like cotton, but all the weeds are eaten clean by a flock of hungry birds.
• In Tibet, the goose is revered by followers of Hinduism as the embodiment of the god Shiva.
• Goose feathers are covered with a layer of fat, and therefore cannot be wetted. Actually, this is where the saying “water off a duck’s back” comes from.
• Wild geese are capable of flying at altitudes of up to 7-8 kilometers, and the officially registered record is more than 10 kilometers. A person at such a height cannot breathe at all without an oxygen mask, not to mention the extremely low temperature and pressure.
• A goose defending a nest, even a domestic one, never retreats and fights desperately to the last, attacking even an obviously stronger enemy.
• Geese flocks in nature sometimes number up to a thousand individuals.

Goose fidelity

Geese have strong attachments to other birds in the group (flock). If someone gets sick, injured or shot, a pair of geese will leave the formation and follow the goose down to help and protect.

They stay with the disabled goose until it dies or takes off again, then they catch up with the group or set off with another flock of geese.

Geese spend most of their time searching for plant food. All geese eat an exclusively vegetarian diet.

They scream loudly and straighten their long necks when they are afraid or threatened.

Geese typically lay a small number of eggs. Both parents protect the nest and young, which usually results in higher survival rates of goslings.

Geese breeds

The breeding of various breeds of geese has always been intensively carried out in Europe at first to increase the size of the bird. Thus, two centuries ago it was possible to breed geese weighing about 8 kg. Today, selection is also aimed at increasing egg production.

Adler goose

The breed was obtained by crossing gray geese with their larger relatives. The plumage of the birds is pure white. Weight in males reaches 7 kg, in females – up to 6.5 kg. The goose produces 25 to 30 eggs per year.

Arzamas goose

The plumage color of birds is most often white, less often piebald or grayish. The body is long with a beautifully curved neck of medium length and a rounded head. The legs are short and strong with large paws of a yellow-orange color. The weight of males is up to 7.5 kg, females about 6 kg. Birds lay 20-25 eggs per year. The breed has a highly developed egg incubation instinct.

Hungarian goose

The Hungarian female is fed with special feed to obtain a liver weighing about 0.5 kg. Males weigh on average 7 kg, females - 5-6 kg. Egg production ranges from 45 to 55 eggs per year.

Vishtines

The breed was bred and distributed in the Baltic countries. The birds are raised for high quality down and liver.

Vishtines are painted white, occasionally with a brownish or grayish tint. The body length of the bird is average, the neck is long with a round head. The beak is short and straight, orange, as are the high legs. Males weigh 6 kg, females - 5.5 kg. Birds produce from 25 to 40 eggs per year.

Vladimir clay rock

It was bred in the Vladimir region, at this stage it is one of the less common breeds. The bird is painted brown-gray. The compact body continues with a thick neck of medium length with a rounded small head. The weight of females is about 6 kg, males from 7 to 7.5 kg.

Gorky (Lindovskaya) breed

One of the most productive breeds, bred on the basis of Chinese geese. The bird is white, sometimes with piebald and gray patches. A lump-shaped growth stands out on the large head. The beak is very curved with a leathery fold underneath. The weight of males is 7-8 kg, females are 1 kg less.

Italian goose

The breed was bred to produce liver. The goose's plumage is white. The head is not very large without a growth and folds under the beak. Legs and beak are orange. The neck is short. Weight for males is from 6 to 7 kg, for females – 5-6 kg. Geese produce up to 50 eggs per year.

Chinese white geese

Mainly a meat breed, widespread in Russia. The color is white or gray-brown with white feathers. Brown individuals have a black stripe on the head and neck. The body is ovoid with a round chest and a long neck. The head is large with a bump on the forehead, which is larger in males than in females. The legs and beak are orange. The weight of males is about 5 kg, females - 4 kg. They lay from 50 to 70 eggs per year.

Krasnozersky goose

White geese with a small bump on their head. The neck is arched and long. The beak is straight, orange. The paws are also orange. Live weight in males reaches 6.5 kg, in females it is about 5.5 kg. Egg production – from 40 to 50 eggs per year.

Large gray goose

The breed is dark gray in the head and upper back and neck areas; light gray on the chest and white on the belly. On a short and thick neck there is a short head. The beak is large, straight, orange-red in color with a white tip. The body is medium in length with a straight back and short legs. The weight of males is up to 7 kg, females – up to 6 kg. They produce 35 – 60 eggs per year.

Kuban goose

The breed's body is of medium length, shaped like an egg with a rounded breast. The head is long, large with a noticeable bump on the forehead. The neck is long and curved. The color of the Kuban goose is brownish-gray with a brown stripe on the neck and head. Legs, beak and cone are black. The bird produces up to 85 eggs per year. The weight of males is about 5.5 kg, females - up to 5 kg.

Curly goose

It is also known under the names Sevastopol ribbon, silky, Astrakhan, Turkish, depending on the specific region of breeding.

A medium-sized bird with white or grayish plumage. On its shoulders, tail, wings and back, characteristic long twisted feathers stand out, which is how the species got its name. The weight of ganders reaches 6 kg, geese - 5 kg. Egg production is low - 20-25 eggs per year.

Landes goose

The breed was developed in France, from where it spread to Europe and Asia. The plumage color is gray on the back and white on the belly. The wings and back are decorated with a scaly pattern. The legs and beak are orange. Sometimes there is a pronounced knob-like growth above the beak. The weight of females is up to 7 kg, males – about 8 kg.

Legart

The birthplace of the species is Denmark. The geese are large and pure white. The breed is distinguished by the fact that it requires less feed compared to others. Geese weigh about 7.0 kg, ganders 1 - 1.5 kg more. Egg production up to 35 eggs per year.

Obroshinsky goose

The breed was bred on the basis of white, gray Chinese and large geese in order to obtain high-quality feathers. The weight of ganders is up to 7 kg, and that of geese is about 6 kg. The bird produces 35-40 eggs per year.

Pereyaslavl goose

Obtained by crossing Romaine and Chinese geese. It is colored gray-brown with a dark stripe on the neck. The beak is black with a pronounced growth and a leathery fold under it. The weight of males is 6 kg, females are 5 kg. Egg production is 20-40 eggs per year.

Pskov bald goose

Since ancient times, the breed has been known in Russia as a meat bird. The color of the plumage is light gray with a white border on the shoulders, wings, legs, and tail. The belly and undertail are white. The head is large with a short beak and large dark eyes. The neck is thick and short with a dark stripe. The legs and beak are orange. The average weight of males is 7 kg, females - 6 kg.

Romensky goose

The breed can be colored grey, white or piebald. The most common are gray individuals with a dark gray back and neck, light chest and tail. The head is small with a short orange beak. The body is wide with a small tail. The paws are short and pink. The weight of ganders reaches 6 kg, geese - 5.5 kg. Egg production ranges from 15 to 20 eggs.

Sukhov breed

The species was bred in Slovakia. The birds are colored gray-brown. They have a large head with a short and thick orange beak. The body is long and massive. Paws are orange, short. Males weigh about 7 kg, females – up to 6 kg. They lay an average of 15 eggs per year.

Toulouse goose

French large breed with dark gray plumage. The body is massive, the neck is thick. Geese fatten well due to their inactivity. The weight of males reaches 10 kg, females - 8 kg. Geese produce 30 to 40 eggs.

Use in cooking

A variety of dishes can be prepared from a goose carcass. Traditionally known is baked goose stuffed with all kinds of fillings. The most popular of them are apples and buckwheat porridge. But now gourmets prefer to add prunes, mushrooms, various nuts, citrus fruits, and much more.

A very rich and fatty broth can be made from goose meat. Not only is it very tasty and nutritious, it is also valued in folk medicine as a restorative agent that helps with the weakening of the body after illness and saturates it with energy. You can prepare a variety of first courses using goose broth. Borscht, rassolniks, meat solyankas and various soups are prepared with it.

Cutlets, meatballs, and pilaf are prepared from goose meat, and they have a unique taste and high nutritional value. They also make a very tender and aromatic pate from it. In French cuisine, properly prepared goose liver - foie gras - is considered a gourmet dish.

Christmas goose recipe

To prepare this wonderful dish you will need:

• goose carcass - 1.5-2 kilograms;
• spices (thyme, rosemary, garlic, black pepper);
• salt;
• orange - 1 piece;
• apple - 3-4 pcs. (depending on size);
• honey - 2 teaspoons;
• sunflower oil - 2 tablespoons;
• lemon juice.

When cooking, you need to remember that goose meat is much tougher than chicken or turkey. To make the goose softer, soak it in water with vinegar or keep it in the refrigerator overnight, or rub it with salt, spices and herbs. But housewives often agree that the main thing is proper processing of the bird.

So, first of all you need to prepare the marinade. To do this, chop the garlic, add spices and salt to it and pour in vegetable oil. Add freshly squeezed orange juice to the mixture. Now let's get to the carcass. It needs to be washed well, plucked and pierced with a wooden stick or toothpick into its skin in several places. Be sure to wipe the carcass dry with paper towels. Rub the goose with the prepared marinade. Thanks to the holes made, it will be absorbed well. Place in a plastic bag, tie and leave in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, remove the bird and stuff it with apples sprinkled with lemon juice. Pre-cut the fruit into 4 slices. Sew the bottom part with natural thread or secure with toothpicks. Also secure the thin wings. Place the bird on foil and wrap tightly. Place in the oven to bake for about 3 hours. Strain the remaining marinade and add honey. After the time has passed, take the goose out, unwrap it, thoroughly coat it with marinade and, unwrapped, put it back in the oven for about 1 hour. It is recommended to periodically grease the carcass throughout cooking.

Keeping geese at home

Geese are bred for meat, down or feathers. Depending on the specific tasks, the breed for breeding is selected.

As waterfowl, geese need a body of water near their breeding site - a river or lake. If there are none, then they will equip a special place for birds to bathe. Geese are easy-going and live well in large flocks.

A poultry house for geese is selected at the rate of 1 m2 of room per goose. Birds are not afraid of cold weather, but it is better to protect them from drafts and carefully seal all the cracks in the walls.

In addition, the poultry house is equipped with drinkers, feeders, and boxes for mineral feed. Nests are built for breeding geese.

Also in the poultry house you need a hole for birds. A layer of sawdust and sand is laid on the floor.

Beneficial features

Regular consumption of goose reduces the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system and promotes the removal of radionuclides and metabolic products from the body.

Thanks to the amino acids included in its composition, it has a strengthening effect and promotes the smooth functioning of the immune system. The development of cancer can also be prevented. Goose meat has a choleretic effect and relieves problems of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a positive effect on the nervous system, protects against irritability, helps to avoid panic attacks and the development of depression. The meat of this interesting bird is rich in phosphorus, which is a builder of skeletal bone tissue. Fatty acids in its composition reduce the development of blood clots, thereby preventing atherosclerosis. It is also suitable for baby food, especially useful for children with weakened bodies or children who have recently suffered from illness.

Goose fat is successfully used in folk medicine and cosmetology as a healing agent. And by-products, such as liver and heart, increase hemoglobin and normalize blood glucose levels.

There is such a thing as the French paradox, or syndrome. It is based on the fact that the French, when they consume high-calorie foods and fatty foods, have a much lower level of cancer and cardiovascular diseases than in the whole of Europe. So, during research conducted by scientists in this area, it turned out that in France they regularly eat such a valuable delicacy as foie gras - goose liver.

Feeding

The food of geese consists of grass mass, root crops (potatoes, rutabaga, beets) and their tops, pumpkin and cabbage crops, silage, whey, and fish waste.

In spring and summer, geese feed on pastures that are rich in grass at this time. Birds readily consume nettles, dandelions, plantain, sorrel, and yarrow. In reservoirs where geese love to swim, they eat reeds, nasturtiums, cattails and other aquatic plants.

The pasture is regularly mowed so that the birds receive succulent young grass. The daily requirement for green feed per goose is 2 kg. In the evening, at home, the geese are fed with roughage, for which grain, corn, potatoes, and beets are suitable.

Geese's diet should contain additives that improve the birds' digestion, for example, sand, chalk, shell rock, gravel, and table salt. Dry food is mixed with wet food.

Geese also need a lot of clean drinking water, in which the birds also rinse their nostrils.

How to choose and store correctly

When pressed, the goose meat should immediately regain its shape and be firm to the touch. Old geese are much tougher than young ones, and are generally not recommended for consumption. To determine the age of a goose, you should pay attention to the color of its paws and fat. Young geese have yellow legs, old geese have red legs. The fat of an old bird has a characteristic yellow tint.

Of course, when purchasing, you should pay attention to the skin of the goose. If the skin is cracked or sticky, you should not take such a bird. The normal color of goose skin is yellow, slightly pinkish. It is not recommended to take a small goose, otherwise you may end up with very dry and tough meat.

It is recommended to store the bird in the refrigerator, but no more than three days. It is advisable to prepare the product immediately. If you still decide to keep the carcass, then it is best to hide it in the freezer. There it can be stored for up to 2 months. But remember that frequent defrosting can significantly worsen the taste and beneficial properties of the product.

What to feed goslings in the first days

Newborn goslings are fed white bread soaked in water, finely chopped eggs, oatmeal or barley dough. Babies need a lot of fresh water. At the 2nd or 3rd week of age, the young animals are switched to boiled potatoes, which are mixed with bran, finely chopped nettles, cabbage leaves and other greens. At the 4th week, the goslings can already be released together with the goose to graze and without additional feeding.

Harm and contraindications

Old geese should not be eaten, as their meat loses its valuable and beneficial properties and becomes very tough and dry. Eating goose meat is contraindicated if you are overweight, as it contains a lot of fat. This can also cause problems in metabolic processes and the digestive tract. And the cholesterol it contains is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus. It is important to properly store and prepare poultry, otherwise you may contract dangerous diseases or poisoning. It also does not recommend using it for atherosclerosis and diseases of the stomach and pancreas.

What to feed in winter

In winter, geese are fed three times a day, at the same time, morning, afternoon and evening.

The basis of the diet for this period is grain crops (sprouted barley, oats). In addition, crushed corn, millet, and wheat are added to the mixture.

In addition, the food of geese in winter includes grass waste, boiled potatoes, peelings, raw and finely chopped carrots and beets, and silage.

Spruce and pine needles are used as a vitamin supplement.

A source of vitamins and protein in winter is also flour and dust from hay, legumes (boiled peas, lentils). The latter can constitute up to one third of the total diet of birds.

Diet meat

Goose meat, pre-cleaned from the skin, which contains the largest number of calories, is great for a dietary menu. It is recommended to consume this product baked or stewed, steamed or grilled. Goose by-products also have beneficial dietary properties and are recommended for inclusion in various diets.

However, it should be mentioned that it is better to use this meat as a dietary product after consulting with a nutritionist and drawing up a personal dietary menu.

Breeding geese at home

In the first clutch, the goose usually lays from 7 to 15 eggs; during the year their number can reach 30 eggs.

To hatch, it is better to leave the goose in the nest in which it was laid. The nests are fenced off from one another.

During incubation, the clutch is inspected twice: on the 11th and 27th days. Unfertilized eggs - light and without a dark spot of the embryo in the lumen - are removed. In eggs with a dead embryo, dark rings or a solid dark mass are visible; these are also rejected.

If the goose is worried, this indicates the end of incubation. The goslings hatch on the 29-30th day.

Features of hunting wild geese

The goose is a desirable prey for any hunter. The most common methods of hunting are on flights, from the entrance and on profiles or stuffed animals that are placed in bird feeding areas.

After spending the night on the water, at dawn the geese fly out to fatten, then at noon they fly to a watering hole, rest, and in the afternoon they fly off again to feed..

Ducks constantly stay near the water and feed only in the coastal zone. Such places in the fields are quite noticeable - by paw prints and the presence of a large amount of droppings.

It should be remembered that hunting of many species of wild geese may be prohibited due to their small numbers.

The day before the hunt, it is worth walking around the grounds and observing where the flock goes to land. When the geese fly away for the night in the evening, you can go to the place and arrange “hidden places” for yourself, set up profiles, in general, prepare for the hunt.

Mixture

- “There lived two cheerful geese with a grandmother” - either a Ukrainian or a Russian folk song, according to which children in music school are taught a single-voice melody.

— In Mikhail Romm’s film “Nine Days of One Year” from 1962, Alexey Batalov plays a nuclear physicist named Gusev. Having made the discovery, the hero laments: “My last name has gone wrong. Volt! Ampere! Curie! 500 volts - sounds, 1000 amperes - sounds, 850 roentgens - also sounds, although not very fun. And here is Gusev. Well, the unit of radiation intensity will have to be called “goose”. Our installation has a capacity of 50 geese. Stupid."

Exhibits of the Crystal Museum in the city of Gus-Khrustalny © Wikimedia Commons
- The Gus River flows through the Vladimir and Ryazan regions. The cities of Gus-Khrustalny and Gus-Zhelezny are located on it. The first is home to the famous glass factory, the second was once an iron foundry.

Classification and review of popular breeds

Geese began to be domesticated in ancient Rome. They are still in demand to this day, because they are a source of healthy lean meat, delicious liver and large, high-quality eggs, which, along with chicken, are used in cooking. In the 3rd month of life, the bird can reach from 5 to 15 kg, it all depends on the species.

Geese breeds are usually divided into 3 weight categories:

1. Heavy - meat-fat.
2. Medium – decorative.
3. Light - egg-laying.

Not every bird is suitable for home breeding, because many broilers lack the instinct of motherhood. Therefore, it is important to understand for what needs this or that variety of geese is better suited.

The world's best wipe

Gargantua. Engraving by Gustave Doré. 1873 © Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
In the 13th chapter of “The Tale of the Terrible Life of the Great Gargantua, Father of Pantagruel,” Francois Rabelais puts into the mouth of his hero, still very young, a legendary argument about wiping. Gargantua lists many things that he used for this operation, such as: various items of ladies' clothing and household items, hats, plants, animals... In the end, he came to the conclusion that the best wipe in the world is a fluffy gosling, which, firstly, soft, and secondly, warm. “And you are in vain to think,” Gargantua concludes his argument, “that heroes and demigods owe all their bliss in the Champs Elysees to asphodels, ambrosia and nectar, as our old women chatter here. In my opinion, the whole point is that they wipe themselves with goslings...” Whether Rabelais put some special symbolism into such disrespectful treatment of the gosling, one can only guess.

Diet

When keeping birds on pasture, when they are constantly walking among fresh grass, the geese are fed once in the evening. Birds eat an average of 2 kg of green food per day, which provides their body with vitamins, minerals and fiber. For nutritional value and replenishment of other useful substances, geese are given wet mash with vegetables and coarse grain feed at night.

For comfortable digestion, sand, gravel, chalk and shell rock are added to the feed. Free access to fresh water is also necessary. Geese quench their thirst and periodically caress their nostrils.

In winter, the bird has three meals a day. Daily food ration:

1. Morning – 1/3 of the daily norm of flour mixture and sprouted grains;
2. Noon – raw sugar beets, boiled potatoes, chopped hay and vitamin-mineral ready-made feed;
3. Evening – 2/3 of the daily norm of flour and grains

The table shows the daily norms for food products:

It is better to feed geese with wet mash and avoid whole grains; it is better to use it in the form of granules.

A month before the female begins to lay eggs, she is transferred to an intensive fattening regime. Bone and fish meal, legumes and more hay are added to the usual diet. During this period, the goose should eat 4 times a day.

PS “Crush the geese - save Russia”

On August 12, 2015, in the regional center of Apastov in Tatarstan, representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor, Rospotrebnadzor and the prosecutor's office found three carcasses of geese in a store. They were brought from Hungary, but either there were no accompanying documents at all, or there was something wrong with them. Based on the decree of the President of Russia “On certain special economic measures applied to ensure the security of the Russian Federation” dated July 29, 2015, the geese were subject to destruction. This was done: three dead birds were taken out to the field and run over with a bulldozer.

This heartbreaking video became the main meme of the campaign against the “sanctions” that unfolded in Russia at the end of the summer of 2015. The saying “Crush the geese - save Russia” was born in many minds at once. We will leave it to the reader to judge what geese are a symbol of in this context.