Heavy Kholmogory geese
Kholmogory geese are a heavy beef breed that appeared as a result of folk selection. The homeland of birds is Russia. The first information about them dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Presumably, Chinese and Arzamas individuals became the ancestors of birds. According to some indications, it can be assumed that geese interbred with wild and Tula representatives. The breed has not lost its popularity, as it is unpretentious in keeping, the birds quickly gain weight, and are well adapted to cold climates.
Kholmogory geese
Description of the breed
As already mentioned, the Kholmogory geese are of the heavy type. This significantly affected their external data, the birds are massive, with a muscular body and magnificent plumage. Here is a short description of the Kholmogory geese breed:
- The head is medium, the beak is long or shortened, with a developed purse.
- The neck is elongated, plump.
- The breast is widened and convex.
- The body is massive, with well-developed muscles, and stands horizontally.
- The back is elongated, straight.
- There are two fat folds on the tummy.
- Medium feet.
- The color of the beak and legs is yellow-red.
- By color, Kholmogory geese are gray, white or gray-piebald.
The Kholmogory breed of geese has 2 lines. The first is represented by large birds with an elongated beak, on which a hump is clearly visible. The feathers on the wings often sag. These signs indicate that the blood of Tula geese flows in the veins of the first line.
The second line is Kholmogory geese with a dark shortened beak and a lump at its base. The lump begins to grow at 5-6 months and reaches its largest size by the age of 3 years (the period of puberty of the breed). Its height can be up to 2 cm. It is believed that the second line was formed from the crossing of gray geese with Chinese ones.
Productivity and dignity of the breed
The Kholmogory breed of geese is very productive. When breeding it, the heaviest representatives were selected, as a result, the average weight of birds can compete with the world's most famous beef breeds. The Kholmogorsky goose weighs up to 12 kg, the goose - up to 8 kg. Goslings at 9 weeks old can weigh 4-4.5 kg. The meat of these birds is juicy, tender and tasty, from one carcass you can get 1-2 kg of fat.
Egg productivity of these birds is low, the Kholmogory adult goose carries about 30 eggs per year. Goose eggs weigh 180-200 g. Another remarkable feature of Kholmogory geese is their long life expectancy. If on average this species of birds lives for 7-8 years, then representatives of the Kholmogory breed - 14-17 years. Puberty occurs late, closer to three years. At this age, about 80% of the eggs are fertilized, the goslings are in good health and have a high survival rate.
The advantages of the Kholmogory geese breed include the following:
- young animals grow rapidly and gain weight;
- high rates of weight in adult birds;
- disease resistance;
- birds retain high productivity under any conditions of keeping;
- unpretentiousness in feeding;
- ease of care;
- excellent adaptation to cold climates;
- the opportunity to be kept in pastures;
- high quality meat, fat, fluff and feathers;
- developed maternal instinct in females.
Kholmogory geese have their own shortcomings. The disadvantages of the breed include:
- late puberty;
- a small number of eggs;
- the need for a reservoir;
- the heavy weight of the geese, which can cause them to crush the eggs in the clutch.
There are not so many shortcomings in the breed, therefore it is popular. This species is bred not only in private farms, but also on industrial farms. Birds receive consistently positive feedback from poultry farmers.
Bird keeping
The breed of Kholmogory geese is perfectly adapted to cold climates. Its representatives can live in winter even in an unheated poultry house. It is important that the room is dry, clean, and free of drafts. You can adapt an existing shed for a birdhouse or build a new one. It is best to make a poultry house for Kholmogory from wood, carefully sealing all the cracks and protecting it from the penetration of predatory animals.
The area of the room is calculated so that 1 sq. m. In bird cages, you can keep more heap. It is imperative to make an open-air cage with an area of 5-6 sq. m per head. Kholmogory geese can graze perfectly all summer on pastures. It is desirable that there is a body of water nearby. If this is not the case, you need to arrange a small pool in the yard.
There must be bedding on the floor of the house. It is best made from peat or straw. Geese eat moss, sawdust with sand, which is why they often have disorders of the digestive tract. Change the litter as it gets dirty, removing the top wet layer. You can raise the floor 15-20 cm by equipping a pallet at the bottom, then liquid secretions will flow down, they are used to fertilize the garden.
In the poultry house, it is imperative to make feeders and drinkers. Wooden containers are placed for dry food, metal containers for water and wet mash. You also need to make nests for geese. Their diameter is about 50 cm, depth is 10-15 cm. It is not bad to separate the parent tribe in the poultry house or pen so that the birds do not mix with each other. You can take a closer look at how the Kholmogory geese are kept in the photo and video.
Feeding geese
Feeding Kholmogory geese is not difficult. In the summer, they can graze in the pasture all day, eating about 2 kg of grass. At this time of the year, you can feed the birds 2 times a day, mainly with grain or compound feed. Roots and vegetables (zucchini, pumpkins, beets, cabbage leaves, tops, etc.) are added to the diet in summer.
With intensive fattening of Kholmogory and in winter, the diet should include (for one individual):
- grain and legumes (mainly peas) - 130-160 g;
- hay from legumes - 100-150 g;
- root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets) - 300-500 g;
- sauerkraut - 50-100 g.
Grain is best steamed: this way geese eat it better. Kitchen waste can be added to wet mash, but only fresh. On average, about 700-800 g of feed is consumed per adult per day. It is imperative to pour crushed shells, chalk or gravel into a separate container to improve the digestion of food and replenish minerals in the body. Since the second half of winter, the geese are given a premix and other vitamin supplements to increase egg production.
Breeding geese
Puberty in geese of the Kholmogory breed occurs quite late, at 3 years old. The maximum productivity is 4-5 years from birth. The number of eggs is also low, but it is compensated by a high level of fertilization and good survival rate of chicks. Incubation of the testicles can be natural or artificial.
When breeding Kholmogory geese, you must adhere to the following rules:
- The parent herd of Kholmogory is formed at the rate of 1 gander for 4 females.
- The nest for the goose is prepared in advance, given that the laying begins in February.
- The incubation egg is stored at a temperature of 13 ° C for no more than 15 days.
- Before placing eggs under the female, an ovoscopy is performed.
- Young females are tested to see how faithfully they sit on the nest and whether they leave it in the presence of a person.
Goslings hatch from eggs 29-30 days after incubation has begun. In the first week, they should be kept warm, at a temperature of 28-30 ° C, then it is gradually reduced. In the early days, goslings are fed with steamed, chopped peas, barley, oats, millet mixed with cottage cheese, boiled eggs and herbs. From the third day, vegetables and corn are added.
Already at the end of the first week, goslings can go outside. After 14 days, they are already walking all day. At about 8 days old, the chicks are sorted. Stronger goslings are candidates for the formation of the parent herd, the weaker ones go to fattening. The next selection is carried out at 8-9 weeks, the average weight of the herd is determined, the best geese and geese are left to the tribe.
As early as 9 weeks old, Kholmogory geese can be sent for slaughter. By that time, the goslings weigh an average of 4 kg, further fattening is not very profitable. If the birds did not go to meat on time, they will have to be kept for up to 120-130 days. Molting begins at 2.5-3 months, the meat becomes tougher, the weight gain is insignificant.
The characteristics of the Kholmogory geese indicate that the birds are very promising. It is profitable to grow them both for yourself and for business. You can buy ready-made seven-day-old goslings or breed them yourself, in an incubator and under a brood hen.
How much do little chicks cost? The price of goslings aged 7 days is approximately 200-300 rubles. Before buying, you should carefully consider how the goslings of the Kholmogory breed look in the photo, read the description of the birds.