So then, what geese breeds are rare and need help?

[mominoz]

So if some think the American Livestock Breed Conservatory isn't real accurate on numbers of waterfowl,what breeds are at risk or rarer? Or may need conservators? Or where can I get accurate info on the numbers or breeds at risk?

 

[Omniskies]

That's the best I know to go by at this point in time. It may not be entirely accurate, but from what I know it's the most accurate numbers we have.

There are a lot of backyard breeders who don't report to the ALBC, but a lot of them probably aren't breeding for conservation: they have a pair or two of birds to look at. I'm not sure if those technically count toward the numbers or if people specifically want flocks of 50 or more reported.

In the past few years I've seen more and more interest in Pilgrims, so those numbers may (thankfully) be on the rise. Sebastopols are enjoying some fame right now, as well. I almost never see information about Pomeranians, and I know Cotton Patch geese are almost completely maintained by a fantastic man in Texas who is old enough to be my great-great grandfather. No one ever talks about Shetland geese, so I worry about them (Shetlands are a breed I plan on getting into in the next couple of years once I have stabilized my current flocks).

A large problem with a lot of breeds is that, while they are around, a lot of them are hatchery stock. Like Africans, which have slowly become more and more of a production bird instead of a massive meat breed, or Embdens that look like toy poodles when compared to Holderread's stock.

Since geese are not terribly common in the backyard virtually all of the breeds need help. FeatherSite puts it best on their turkey descriptions: don't stop breeding X because someone else needs more help. _Everything_ needs help right now, and it's better to fall in love with the breed you adore than sweat over something you feel obligated to save.

Ah...I don't know if that actually helps or not

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:

 

[mominoz]

Interesting. So pick one I like well and try to be faithful to it. --What standards would you use as a measuring stick? The APA standards? Holderreads or Astons? (I am just learning

.....?
So no one really knows what and how many are out there and to what quality.....hmmmm...... Demise of the family farm, seems to have done in many breeds and species.....

 

[Miss Lydia]

I read somewhere that the American Buff needs help.

 

[Omniskies]

American Buffs need a lot of help. They are one of the breeds I am working on and finding genuine American Buffs has been really painful - especially now that Holderread has sold off his flock. I had a large flock of Buffs but at that time I only had one suitable pen and sold the flock down to focus on my Pilgrims. I just couldn't get rid of my last few Buffs and now that I have more pens and separate pastures it has been a long, long trek to get my numbers back up.

But still, Pomeranians probably need more work than American Buffs. Dewlap Toulouse and Giant Africans both need a lot of work. Chinese with the proper long, slender build are needed.

All breeds need help. It's better to select a breed you're fond of rather than try to force yourself to raise one because it needs help. I adore my Pilgrims, and even as the numbers improve I plan on keeping this breed. I don't think I could be as passionate as Sebastopols or Dewlap Toulouse - even if both of those breeds need help.

As for the standard, from what I know everyone is using the APA SOP, including Holderread. Holderread shows in APA sanctioned shows, so if he wants to win anything he has to adhere to the breed standards that the APA has set up.

 

[mominoz]

Humfp,,,,,ahhh...

I had narrowed it down to Am. Buffs, but I read that there were more of them around than thought, that even hatcheries carried them. I am hesitant to order from a hatchery because-- flip of the coin. I have 4 Tuft. Buffs thru one about 18 months old and one female seems to have weak legs, she'd run out of steam and lie down as youngster and now she has a re-occurring lameness, with no sign of injury.... so if I order Am. Buffs from the same hatchery it seems a 'gamble' . I'd rather get nice birds to start. I was going to order Holdereads (I have some of his show quality ducks) but he no longer has the Buffs. He has the Blues and Lavenders, but are they recognized-- in the show ring?
( I want to leave showing open as a hobby thing too so I'd rather find and pay for proper birds. )
The Pomerainians are nice looking and interesting and Holdereads has them......what about their temperment? I have 11+ acres near an National Forest, and have horses and some horse neighbors and some "trailer neighbors"-- I figure some geese honking isn't any worse than the dogs barking and coyotes singing .....
I was thinking colored geese because less white feathers floating across the neighbors pasture.....

 

[nivtup]

Metzer has Holderread's Buffs

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Dave Holderread sticks to the APA standards where they exist, On the other birds he has his own standards. I beleive Aston is UK based and might be considered for geese like Shetlands or West of England breeds. It sounds conceited but many breeders have their own idea of what the perfect goose is and shoot for that target. I don't think you can blame it on the loss of family farms that is causing the decline of geese The fact that there is no market for their meat IMHO is the main factor The heratage Turkeys made a huge come back when people like Slow Food started to pitch them to the Green movement (and started calling the broad brested breeds used by Butterball FrankenTurkeys)

 

[Omniskies]

Metzer bought the American Buff flock, but they are not offering anything from that flock for sale this year. I don't know if they plan on offering an Exhibition Buff flock, or if they plan on incorporating the birds into their own flock eventually. But last I heard goslings were not going to be available from them.

I agree and disagree with you, Goosedragon. I'm happy to blame the lack of geese on the lack of a small family farm mentality. However, I strongly agree that the reason that geese have not made a comeback is because we don't have them on the dinner table. The easiest way to bring back a breed of anything - goose, duck, or chicken - is to give it a purpose. Once it has a purpose then people become more enthusiastic about having it around.

People need to know the benefits of having geese, and need to understand that the average farm goose is not loud and aggressive. They need to understand that a single pair of geese could provide them with a dozen or more goslings every year for ten or _twenty_ years. That geese make great weeders and lawn mowers without having to deal with goats. That they can be harvested for down to make real pillows that are actually comfortable to use at night (and that can be custom made to fit exactly what you need in a pillow - find that at Wal-Mart).

I've found that convincing people that goose is tasty is an extremely difficult thing to do. Usually someone wants to eat a goose before accepting the fact that it's not just edible, but very good. In order to do that, they need to find somewhere to purchase a dressed out goose. Our grocery store sells them for $40-50 apiece. Very few people, especially right now, want to spend $50 to try a few pounds of meat and see if it's something they enjoy. And God forbid they cook it wrong and need to try it again. I have enough trouble encouraging people to go spend $15 at the grocery store to try a duck. I've all but officially given up in trying to convince them to buy a goose at the store.

Please keep in mind that just because the hatcheries offer a breed does NOT in any way mean the breed is safe. Hatcheries normally offer a poor quality look-alike that can only barely be considered what the breed truly is. You then have to spend years building the stock up to the breed standards. As I said, just because a breed can be found in many places does not mean that someone should drop the breed for something that is even more rare. _Everything_ needs help right now.

Tentatively, I may be offering some American Buff eggs this year. I've been in contact with someone who is selling off their Tufted Roman and American Buff flocks (both small, but still nice). I'm heading out this week to take a look at them and possibly buy them. If so, I'll have more eggs available than I expected and just won't have the room in my incubator for all of them.