Australian Poultry Standard Breeds

Geese

Australian Settler

Relatively quiet, light weight geese that are one of only two autosexing breeds of geese.

On hatching, males are yellow and silver-grey with orange bills, females are olive-grey with dark brown bills. As goslings grow, it is easy to tell the difference between them by the colour of their down. Female goslings also have darker bills than the males

These birds have been found in farmyards of Britain, Normandy, Australia and the United States.A pure flock has been maintained on King Island for many years.

They are known as Pilgrim in the Northern hemisphere

Origin Australia

Male 6.35-8.15 kg

Female 5.45-7.25 kg

African

The African goose is a massive bird. Its heavy body, thick neck, stout bill and jaunty posture give the impression of strength and vitality. Its name is not indicative of its place of origin. Historical studies show that the African has been known by many names, and its origin has been attributed to many continents. It seems to have arrived in North America on ships that traveled around the world so its exact origin is ambiguous.The African goose is a larger relative of the Chinese goose. Both geese have developed from the wild swan goose which they closely resemble

Origin China

Male 9.10-12.70 kg

Female 8.15-10.90 kg

Brecon Buff

The Brecon Buff Goose originated in the area of the Brecon Beacons, in Breconshire in Wales. In about 1929 a certain Rhys Llewellyn found and acquired three geese of a uniform buff colour not seen in any other British goose breed. Using a gander of Embden type, he bred them until a stable true-breeding population was established. A standard was drawn up, and in 1934 was published in Feathered World. It was first included in the British Poultry Standards of the Poultry Club of Great Britain in 1954.

Origin Wales

Male 7.25-9.10 kg

Female 6.35-8.15 kg

Chinese

The Chinese goose is a breed of domesticated goose descended from the wild swan goose. Chinese geese differ from the wild birds in much larger size (up to 5–10 kg in males, 4–9 kg in females), and in having an often strongly developed basal knob on the upper side of the bill. The knob at the top of the beak is more prominent on males than females. It takes several months for the knob to become pronounced enough that it can be used for determining sex. Chinese geese are a close cousin of the African goose, a heavier breed also descended from the swan goose.

Chinese geese appear in two varieties: a brown, similar to the wild swan goose, and white. While many domestic Chinese geese have a similar body type to other breeds, the breed standards as defined in the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection and other sources call for a slimmer, taller fowl.

Chinese geese are among the better laying breeds of goose. A female Chinese goose can lay 50–60 eggs over the course of the breeding season although there are reports of Chinese geese laying up to 100 eggs during that time

Origin China

Male 4.55-5.45 kg

Female 3.60-4.55 kg

Embden

The Emden is the oldest goose breed of the area that is now Germany, with origins believed to go back to the thirteenth century. It derives from the traditional large white geese of the East Frisia region of north-western Germany; these had a long curved neck and so were sometimes known as Schwanengans or "swan geese".[ The modern breed was established in the late nineteenth century.

In 2016 the breeding population in Germany consisted of 238 female and 132 male birds. In 2020 the conservation status of the Emdener was listed in the Rote Liste of the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen in its Category II, stark gefährdet ("seriously endangered"

Origin Northern Europe

Male 12.70-15.40 kg

Female 10.00-12.70 kg

Pomeranian

This breed descended from the Eastern Graylag, which is why true Pomeranians have pinkish red beak, legs and feet. The Pomeranian is believed to have developed in the Pomorze region between the Rivers Odes and Vistula. It is an ancient breed that has stood the intrusion of foreign and modern breeds into its home turf and contributed to the development of numerous breeds and varieties, and proven itself competitive where ever tried. Today it is the dominant breed in Northern Germany, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It is very popular in the rest of Germany and Austria and seems to be gaining elsewhere. More than thirty years ago I encountered representatives of the breed in Switzerland, the Low Countries and Britain, as well as its more typical range. Despite what Soames and other writers have said, when I was in Germany in the early 1970's I had the distinct impression it was the dominant working goose everywhere...this is a unique and ancient breed worthy of preservation

Origin Northern Europe

Male 8.20 - 10.90 kg

Female 7.30 - 9.10 kg

Roman

The Roman goose is an Italian breed of domestic goose. It is said to be one of the oldest breeds of goose, bred more than 2000 years ago and originally sacred to the goddess Juno.

According to legend ,these were the birds that saved Rome from attack by the Gauls in 365BC.Imported into Britain in 1888. They were described in 1906 when observed that some were crested.

Origin Mediterranean

Male 5.45-.6.35 kg

Female 4.55 -5.45 kg

Sebastapol

The Sebastopol is a breed of domestic goose, descended from the European Greylag goose. First exhibited in England in 1860 under the name 'Sebastopol goose'; they were also referred to as Danubian geese; a name first used for the breed in Ireland in 1863. 'Danubian' was used as a synonym in the 19th century; and only given precedence by Edward Brown after the turn of the 19th century. The Sebastopol is a medium-sized goose with long, white curly feathers. The feathers of the neck are smooth and sometimes greyish brown. Crosses have produced all-grey, buff, and saddle back variants. Feathers on the breast may be curly (frizzle) or smooth. The gander weighs 12-14 lbs while the goose weighs 10-12 lbs. The legs and shanks are orange and the eyes bright blue. Grey and buff colored Sebastopol have brown eyes. On average, females produce 25-35 eggs per year. Though domesticated breeds of geese generally retain some flight ability, Sebastopols cannot fly well due to the curliness of their feathers and have difficulty getting off the ground.[8][9] They need plenty of water to keep themselves clean, and to clean their sinuses (as do all waterfowl).

In German, they are called Lockengans or Struppgans, meaning "curl-goose" and "unkempt goose"

Origin Eastern Europe

Male 5.45 -6.35 kg

Female 4.55-5.45 kg

Toulouse

The Toulouse is a French breed of large domestic goose, originally from the area of Toulouse in south-western France. Two types are recognised: a heavy industrial type with dewlaps, the French: Oie de Toulouse à bavette; and a slightly lighter agricultural type without dewlaps, the French: Oie de Toulouse sans bavette. Both types are large, with weights of up to 9 kg.] Birds bred in the United Kingdom and United States exclusively for showing may be still larger, and have a somewhat different conformation

Origin France

Male 11.80 -13.60 kg

Female 9.10 -10.00 kg

NSW Waterfowl Breeders Association INC