Credits: Biovision-Infonet
Rates of digestion of acid digestive fibre for the goose are from 15-30 percent depending on the material.
The digestive system of the goose is able to digest this high level of fibre primarily for two reasons.
The first is its large and muscular proventriculus and its extremely well-muscled gizzard that can develop high pressures. The action of these organs results in the release of cell sap and the crushing of the cells so that they can be subject to further digestion.
The second is the microbial breakdown of fibre in the extremely well developed caeca and large intestine of the goose. This efficiency in fibre utilisation exists despite the fact that feedstuffs pass through the digestive tract of the goose relatively rapidly.
Geese are more like grazing animals than any other type of poultry. Their beak and tongue are particularly well-equipped for grazing. The beak has sharp interlocking serrated edges designed to easily cut and divide grass and other plant tissue.
The tongue at the tip is covered with hard, hair-like projections, pointing towards the throat, which quickly convey the pieces of grass and other vegetable material into the throat.
This rough covering on the point of the tongue enables geese to bite off plants even closer to the ground than sheep can. Because of this, overstocking must be avoided as the ground will become bare.
Pre-laying period
Recent research from a number of sources has shown that the feeding programme for a breeder flock during the 2-3 months prior to the laying period can have an important effect on the number of goslings produced per female.
The results appear to apply equally to breeder flocks coming into lay for both their first and subsequent lays.
The basic principle of feeding breeder flocks during this pre-lay period is to control body weight. The general recommendation is that at two months before the beginning of lay, geese in the breeder flock should have an average body weight of 80-85 percent of their adult weight. This reduced body weight is achieved by restricting feed intake during the holding period.
The amount of feed fed to the flock will then be increased two months before lay so that by a month and a half and one month before lay, the birds will be at 90 percent and 100 percent of adult body weight respectively.
This increase in body weight can be achieved by increasing the amount of holding ration fed and/or by changing over to a breeder ration.
When putting geese on reduced feed for the holding period, two points should be noted: geese approaching their first laying period are normally transferred to a holding ration at between 9-12 weeks of age while geese completing a lay cycle are transferred from the breeder ration to the holding ration at the end of the laying period.
There are a number of ways to provide geese with an appropriate level of nutrient intake during this holding period, but in all cases body weight must be monitored closely.
- The first is to give the geese a complete feed rations with 120 – 140 grams of crude protein per kg and 9.6 – 10.9 Mj ME/kg of energy. This can be fed in conjunction with pasture or as the sole ration for geese in confinement. In both cases feed restriction must be practised to prevent the geese from overeating. The normal approach to feed restriction would be to feed between 100-200 g of the complete ration per bird per day. The objective is to avoid any sudden change in body weight and to gradually bring the birds to 80-85 percent of adult body weight by two months before the beginning of the laying season.
- A second approach is to replace the complete ration with either mixed grains or a single grain that is readily available. The geese should also have access to pasture since a diet of limited grains may be deficient in some essential amino acids, vitamins and/or minerals. The forage consumed on pasture will normally help provide these. Again, the guide for the amount of grain to feed is based on body weight. If the growth of forage slows or stops in either autumn, winter or the dry period, the geese can be provided with good quality preserved roughage such as hay, silage or root crops.
- A third possibility with good quality forage is to meet the entire nutrient needs of geese during this holding period from pasture alone. The body weight of the birds must be monitored. If they start to lose so much weight that they might fall below the target of 80-85 percent of adult body weight two months prior to the laying period, they must receive a feed supplement of either grain, kitchen waste or whatever other source of energy is available.
Restricting feed during this pre-lay period to a moderate level of 2.9 Mj ME per day per bird (320 g per day bird of a 9.2 Mj ME/Kg diet) resulted in a non-significant drop in subsequent egg production and an increase in fertility (4 goslings per female more).
The authors also concluded that a body weight gain of 1.0-1.2 kg per bird during this period of two months is optimal. These results are valid for geese in their first year of production as well as for subsequent lays.
An experiment that examined feed restriction during the lay period to a level of 3.15 Mj ME per day per bird led to a slight decrease in egg production, but an increase in fertility.
On balance, the number of goslings produced was higher with the restrictive feeding suggesting that the nutrient requirement may be different for male and female breeders. However, the very small sexual dimorphism of geese does not allow different feeding programmes for ganders and geese in the same flock.
Laying period
The feeding of geese during the egg laying period is perhaps the most important feeding period in the entire cycle of goose production. Poor nutrition during this period will adversely affect egg production and the low rate of lay of geese is already one of the major constraints in its production.
It must be remembered that the geese must ingest adequate nutrients both for body maintenance and egg production.
Energy requirements per day for the laying goose is between 3.3 – 3.5 Mj ME per bird. Geese are unable to regulate their feed intake according to energy needs.
Therefore, taking into account the energy level of the ration, the body weight of the birds and the ambient temperature, care must be taken to ensure that:
- breeding geese do not consume too much energy;
- the daily crude protein intake during the laying period should be between 45-50 g per day depending on rate of lay and egg size. Of this 25-30 g are required solely for egg production;
- the goose must also consume between 10-12 g of calcium a day, depending on egg size and rate of lay, to meet the needs of egg shell formation which constitutes about 12 percent of the weight of the egg;
- the intake of essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals is important and must be sufficient to support both egg production and subsequent embryo growth.
Specific breeder rations have been developed which normally contain 9.2- 10.5 Mj ME/kg, 130-150 grams crude protein and 26-30 grams of calcium per kg. The feeding value of some local feeds are given in table 1.
Table 1. Amount of metabolizable energy, protein and minerals in some poultry feeds
| Feed | ME | CF | CP | P | Mg | Mn | S | Zn | Se |
| Barley, grain | 13.2 | 5.2 | 11.8 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 19 | 1.2 | 30 | .11 |
| Cassava, tubers, fresh | 15.2 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 | ||||
| Cotton seed meal, high oil, high fibre | 9.1 | 17.5 | 37.4 | 11.9 | 6.7 | ||||
| Cotton seed meal, high oil, low fibre | 9.4 | 10.6 | 45 | 12.4 | 6.3 | 14 | 66 | ||
| Fish meal, high protein | 16 | 75.4 | 22.3 | 3.1 | 10 | 99 | |||
| Fish meal, medium protein | 14.4 | 70.6 | 27.9 | 2.3 | 16 | 96 | |||
| Maize bran | 10 | 12.5 | 12 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 18 | 107 | ||
| Sorgum grain, ground | 16 | 2.8 | 10.8 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 12 | 1.1 | 24 | .46 |
| Sorgum, bran and milling offal | 9.3 | 6.4 | 11.7 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 35 | 40 | ||
| Sugarcane molasses | 13 | .1 | 5.5 | .7 | 4 | 74 | 18 | ||
| Sunflower, cake | 10.8 | 26.2 | 27.9 | 9.2 | 3.6 | 35 | 2.1 | 53 | .45 |
| Wheat, bran | 7.8 | 10.4 | 17.3 | 11.1 | 4.6 | 113 | 2.1 | 89 | .5 |
| Wheat, grain | 14.4 | 2.6 | 12.6 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 40 | 1.5 | 31 | .28 |
Some recommends more concentrated rations for breeders during the laying period with energy levels of 11.7 – 12.3 kcal ME/kg, 180-190- grams crude protein and calcium levels of 36-38 grams.
It may depend to some extent on the concentration of other nutrients in the ration, the ambient temperature and the rate of lay.
Breeder geese (6.5-7.0 kg) including the gander, should normally consume between 3.3-3.5 Mj ME per bird per day irrespective of the ration.
| Recommended energy, protein, amino acids and minerals in g/kg for geese in laying period | |||||||
| Ration | MEMj/kg | Crude Protein g/kg | Lysineg\kg | Methionineg\kg | Calciumg/kg | Phosphorg/kg | Sodiumg/kg |
| 1 | 9.2 | 130 | 5.8 | 2.3 | 26 | 56 | 1.2 |
| Breeder | 10.5 | 148 | 0.66 | 0.26 | 30 | 60 | 1.4 |
In most cases, rations for laying geese will include access to good quality pasture. The pasture will usually provide adequate levels of protein and vitamins, but care must be taken to ensure that the energy intake does not drop below 3.3 – 3.5 Mj ME per bird per day.
Free access to limestone or oyster shell must be provided to breeder geese on pasture to supplement their calcium intake.
In situations where complete goose breeder rations are not available, chicken or turkey breeder ration can be used as these will have sufficient vitamins and minerals to support egg production, embryo development and hatching.
If such rations are not available, the next best choice is a ration for laying chickens. Such laying rations would normally have a metabolizable energy level of 11.7 – 12.3 Mj ME/kg, a crude protein level of 15-17 percent and a calcium level 3.0-3.5 percent.
However, they may not be sufficiently fortified with amino acids, vitamins and minerals to support embryo development and hatching.
If complete rations are not available, a combination of available grains, kitchen scraps and forages can be used to try to meet the nutrient requirements of the laying goose.
It is of prime importance to ensure that the geese have access to an adequate source of calcium.
The level of egg production that can be expected under such a system will depend on the quality and quantity of feedstuffs available (i.e. energy intake).
It is important to note that the goose will adjust its productivity (growth and egg production) to the sub-optimal nutrition. Therefore when using an ad hoc ration, egg production can be expected to be between 25-75 percent of the normal rate of lay.
Geese are able to gain weight fast. Commercially reared male and female geese are able to reach in 10 weeks of age a live weight of almost 5 kg.
The development of body weight and the feed intake per week are given in the table.
| Age in weeks | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Average body weight (kg) | .11 | 0.82 | 2.05 | 3.05 | 4.05 | 4.85 |
| Feed consumption per week (kg) | 0 | 0.96 | 2.93 | 3.20 | 4.34 | 4.68 |
Brooding period
During the brooding period, a waterfowl starter ration in the form of either crumbles or small pellets is recommended and should be fed ad libitum. These starter rations normally have a crude protein level of between 16.0-18.0 percent and a metabolizable energy level of between 10.9-12.1 kcal ME/kg (Table 7).
If a goose starter ration is not available then a chicken starter ration of similar protein and energy levels can be used. Mash feed can also be used if neither crumbles nor pellets are available.
In many low income and food deficient countries, where feed mills do not exist, farmers must use the local sources of nutrients to provide essential nutrients such as ground cereals and chopped fresh grass.
Such feeding systems, however, are usually protein deficient and can lead to very slow growth.
If it is possible, the diet should be balanced with a supplement high in protein content such as soybeans, cotton seed or peanuts.
The total feed consumption for goslings, depending on breed, for this initial three week period will be between 2.5-2.7 kg of starter ration.
Goslings will consume between 7-8 litres of water during this period. If the goslings have access to high quality forage (rye grass, white clover, cabbage, or even nettles) during the three week brooding period, this could reduce their intake of the complete ration by as much as 20 percent.
When the goslings are three weeks old, it is possible to restrict their feed intake up to 75 percent of ad libitum.
However, where a higher level of restriction must be exercised because of a shortage of either a starter ration or mixed grains, then every effort must be made to provide the goslings with young tender forage either through direct grazing or by cutting and carrying the forage to them.
Fresh kitchen and/or garden waste may also be used during this period. If the goslings are required to graze, then any starter ration or mixed grains should be fed at night so that during the day the goslings will be hungry.
This will increase their forage intake. If feed restriction is practised at this young age, it is very important to keep a close watch on the goslings to see that they remain in good health.
Growing period
The type of feed generally fed during the growing period in large flocks of birds is a pelted waterfowl growing ration ranging from 10-13 percent crude protein with a metabolizable energy level of 11.2 – 12.3 Mj ME/kg.
If such rations are not be available then a chicken broiler or a chicken roaster ration of similar nutrient density can be used. When pelted or crumbled feed are not available the rations can be fed as a mash.
The main advantage of growing of geese for meat under extensive conditions is the goose’s unique ability to utilise high-fibre feeds and thus use a variety of types of forage.
This ability holds true whether the geese are kept under well-managed pasture systems or under less structured scavenging systems.
Under extensive management conditions geese will generally reach market weight at an age older than under confinement. In fact, the age at which geese go to market may not depend on their ability to grow, but rather on whether:
- the birds are to be plucked before they go to market (see Feather and Down Production);
- the birds are to meet a particular market demand at a particular time.
It is the relatively low cost of the extensive production systems that allows for this flexibility.
Providing geese with access to good quality pasture during the growing period, even without any form of feed restriction, can result in substantial savings with respect to grain consumption.
In experiments geese consumed 34% less grain with pasture access resulting in only 17 percent less growth compared to confined geese. It demonstrates the capacity of the goose to consume and utilize large quantities of good quality forage.
Restricting the feeding of grain in any form while geese are on pasture is a very popular practice and one that is recommended.
It is a practice that can ensure the maximum use of available forage or any other feedstuffs. Almost all kinds of grain can be used in combination with pasture feeding.
Preferably goose should not compete with humans in using grain that can be used in human diets.
In food deficient countries it is necessary to test all local sources of feeds for anti-nutritional factors before use.
The greater the level of grain/concentrate restriction, the more forage the geese will consume and the less selective they will be in what they eat.
If necessary, geese will travel considerable distances to obtain forage. The level of feed restriction that is practised will depend on a number of factors. If no alternative energy-protein sources are available, the level of restriction will be severe and the dependency on foraging and/or scavenging will be high.
Under these conditions, the geese should be monitored closely, particularly if severe restriction is begun prior to three weeks of age. If the quality of the local forage is low and there are no other supplementary feeds, then there may be a need to cut and carry forage to the geese. This forage should be of the highest possible quality.
If good forage is available, then even with small amounts of grain, high quality geese can be produced. The only difference is that they will be ready for market at an older age and the carcass will be leaner than that produced by a high grain (energy) ration.
Even when available grain is not a constraint, it may be desirable to restrict grain intake to maximise the use of any available forage, and a restriction of between 0.5-1.0 kg of grain per goose per week is recommended.
However, to achieve the desired market weight and have adequate fleshing, it is recommended that the geese be fed a complete ration for the last 2-3 weeks before killing.
Depending on the body weight and condition of the geese at the beginning of this finishing period of 2-3 weeks, and the market for which the geese are intended, they may be fed either a complete ration or grain only.
When planting a pasture specifically for geese, it should be noted that they will eat almost any grass or clover species although they do not like alfalfa as much as other clovers.
Geese like new growth, so pasture management should be practised and it should include rotation and clipping.
To summarize, the management of geese under extensive conditions both in managed pastures and under extensive scavenger situations is, in many respects, similar:
- the behavioural characteristics of geese lend themselves to extensive management systems because they have a natural tendency to flock and at the end of a day will return home on their own accord;
- it is very important that geese are provided with a natural or man-made shelter to provide protection from the sun;
- they must have water available at all times and feeders must be built so that the feed remains dry in case of rain;
- if predators are a problem, fences and secure housing at night must be provided.
Growing After Brooding
After the brooding period geese can be grown to market weight. In organic herds, they should not be completely confined, but have access to some range-type conditions or a mixture of outdoor and indoor facilities. The growing facility can be simple since these birds are not demanding – a simple wooden shelter should be adequate. The most important factor is to ensure that the goslings are protected from sun, heavy rain and predators, especially during the night.
When they are grazing, geese consume not only grass, but also insects, snails, worms, etc. which can provide about 10 percent of their total protein intake. Furthermore, the strong legs of the goose combined with its aquatic tendencies means it can travel long distances if required to consume forage both on land and in the water. Finally, the production of geese on extensive pasture type conditions eliminates the need for expensive housing and equipment and requires only drinkers, feeders, fencing and shelters for shade.
Broiler type geese, in totally confined systems, can go to market at 8-9 weeks of age at a body weight of 4.0 kg and heavy type geese can go to market at 12-14 weeks of age at a body weight of 6.0 kg. This means that geese produced under these systems are generally not plucked during the growing period (see Feather and Down Production).
In non organic intensive systems they may also be grown on deep litter or on a raised floor of wooden or plastic slats, heavy wire mesh or expanded metal without exhibiting any of the problems of breast blisters etc.
At six weeks of age, the density of geese raised on deep litter should not exceed four geese per square metre, and only three after 13 weeks. For those raised on a slatted floor system, the respective values are seven and five birds per square metre. It must be noted that large geese in hot weather may require more space.
When relying mostly on indoor feeding and using the outdoor area mostly as a run (not grazing a lot),
geese should receive 15 cm of feeding space per bird. If at any time restricted feeding is practised, it is vital that sufficient feeder space is provided so that all birds can eat at the same time. If this is not done, the more timid birds will simply not get any feed as it will be all gone by the time they get to the feeder.
In large flocks the watering space per bird should be about 5 cm per bird. Drinkers must be of a durable nature and should not be large. A drinker 20 cm square and 10 cm deep to contain about 3 cm of water is recommended by some producers, while both commercial hog and cattle drinkers have been reported to work very well with geese. It is important that the drinker does not spill a lot of water. When automatic drinkers are not available, it is possible to use any ordinary container, but it must be filled often to provide abundant fresh water. It is useful to adapt the containers so that the birds cannot bath in them.