Main meat breeds and breed groups of ducks and geese

Pekin breed. Developed in the USA based on ducks of Chinese origin. For several decades, Pekin ducks have been widely raised on collective and state farms in our country.

The poultry is large. The body is somewhat elevated, long, wide, and deep. The head is elongated, the beak is slightly concave, the neck is of medium length and thick; the back is wide and long; the breast is deep and prominent. The wings are small; the legs are short. Their plumage is white with a slight cream tint; the beak is orange-yellow; the legs are orange.

Ducks weigh 3.5 kg, drakes — 4 kg. Ducklings grow rapidly; at 50—60 days of age, they weigh 2.2—2.5 kg and provide carcasses with tender, succulent meat. Egg productivity is 130—150 eggs or more. Poultry from crosses obtained using the Pekin duck breed weighs 3.5 kg by the 45—50-day slaughter age. The Pekin breed is widely used in the industrial production of duck meat.

Ukrainian white, black, black-breasted, clay, and gray ducks are breed groups developed in Ukraine. Ducks with white plumage are of the greatest production importance.

These ducks have a long, wide, and deep body; the plumage of black black-breasted ducks is black with a white patch on the chest; gray ones have no markings; clay-colored ones have light-fawn plumage.

Ducks weigh 3—4 kg; drakes — 3.5—4.5 kg. Egg productivity is 110—120 eggs. Ducks of the breeding flock at the "Borki" farm in the Kharkiv region produce 140 eggs, and the best layers — 200 eggs or more per year. At 2 months of age, they weigh more than 2 kg. Ducks of these breed groups are widely distributed on collective and state farms in Ukraine. Breeding work is conducted at the selection center under the Ukrainian Poultry Research Institute.

Breeds and breed groups of geese

Large Gray breed. Developed at the farm of the Ukrainian Poultry Research Institute and the "Arzhenka" state farm by crossing the most productive Romny geese with heavy Toulouse geese of the fatty type. When creating the breed, feeding and maintenance of the poultry were improved, and special attention was paid to the selection and pairing of individuals with high mass and good egg productivity.

Large Gray geese have a deep body with a wide back and prominent breast. Their head is small; the neck is quite thick and short; the back is long and wide; the legs are short. Their plumage is mainly gray, white on the belly. The beak is pink, the legs are reddish-pink. Geese weigh more than 4 kg. Egg productivity is 40 eggs or more. Breeding work with this breed is conducted by the "Arzhenka" breeding farm in the Tambov region, the Ukrainian Poultry Research Institute, and a number of other farms.

Kholmogory breed. Created by the population of the central black-soil belt of Russia by crossing local white geese with large Chinese geese. Crossbreeds were bred "in themselves" for several decades while kept on pasture from early spring to late autumn under conditions of good feeding.

Geese of this breed are massive and large, their head is large, with a "knob" on the forehead (an overgrowth of the frontal bone); under the beak, there is a skin fold called a "purse." The neck is long; the breast is wide; the back is wide, flat, and long. The "purse" and "knob" are noticeable from 6—8 months of age and reach full size at the age of 2—3 years. The plumage of the geese is white, gray, or pied. The most valuable variety is the white one. The beak and legs of these geese are yellow-orange.

Domestic goose breeds: Kholmogory and Ural

Kholmogory geese are characterized by high meat qualities, grow rapidly, fatten well, and are perfectly adapted to local conditions.

At the age of 5—6 months, the young birds in live weight are almost equal to the adult poultry. Egg productivity is 30—40 eggs or more. Breeding work with this breed is aimed at increasing the productive qualities of the geese. This breed is common in a number of regions.

Ural, or Shadrinsk, geese. The breed was developed in the current Shadrinsky district of the Kurgan region by improving feeding and maintenance, as well as reproduction from the best individuals of wild gray geese. The beginning of the work on creating the breed is likely connected to the founding of Shadrinsk at the end of the 17th century and the increased demand for food products, in particular, poultry.

Shadrinsk geese have long been famous for the high quality of their carcasses. Geese weigh 4—5 kg, ganders — 5—7 kg. Goslings grow rapidly. Egg productivity is 30—40 eggs. Shadrinsk geese are common in the Kurgan, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, and other adjacent regions. Breeding work with them is conducted at the Kataysk breeding farm, as well as on collective farms in the Kurgan region.

Arzamas, Romny, and Toulouse goose breeds

Arzamas geese. Large birds. Geese of this breed have a rounded head. Based on beak shape, geese are distinguished as:

• straight-beaked;
• hook-beaked;
• down-curved-beaked.

The neck is short, the back is broad, the breast is broad and deep, and the legs are short. Their plumage color is white, and the legs are orange-yellow. The best geese weigh over 6 kg, and ganders — 7.5 kg. Young birds by the age of 80—90 days weigh 3.5—4.5 kg. Egg productivity is 15—25 eggs. Geese of this breed are distributed in the Gorky Region, the Middle Volga region, and the Mari ASSR.

Romny geese. The breed was developed on collective farm breeding estates in Ukraine. These geese are distinguished by a robust constitution; they are well adapted to local conditions. Their body is straight, the back is quite long, and the breast is broad and deep. There are one or two skin folds on the abdomen. The legs are quite short. Geese weigh 4.5—5.5 kg, and ganders — 6—6.8 kg. Egg productivity is 20—30 eggs. Both adult and young birds fatten well.

Romny geese are raised on collective farms in Ukraine. Breeding work with them is aimed at increasing egg productivity and live weight while maintaining high adaptability to local conditions.

Toulouse geese. This breed was developed in France in mild climatic conditions through abundant feeding of domesticated wild geese. When developing the breed, producers were selected based on live weight and capacity for rapid fattening. Toulouse geese are sedentary birds, not adapted to pasture keeping. The body of these geese is very massive, the neck is thick, and the head is large. The plumage color of the head is gray, the neck and back are dark gray, the breast is light gray, and the abdomen is white. The tail feathers are gray and white. Some varieties have a large fatty fold on the abdomen and a "purse" under the beak. Geese weigh 9—10 kg, and ganders — 12—13 kg or more. Egg productivity is 30—40 eggs or more. Egg weight is 170—200 g. When creating new breeds, Toulouse geese are used to improve the meat qualities of the birds.

Goose breeds: characteristics and productivity

Embden geese — an ancient German breed of geese raised in a number of European countries. Large birds with a fairly massive body, rounded breast, orange shanks, and white plumage.

Breeding work is carried out at the farm of the All-Union Research and Technological Institute of Poultry Breeding.

Rhenish geese — a German breed. Rhenish geese have a deep and broad body; the breast is broad; the plumage is white.

These indicators make the breed promising for industrial meat production. Geese are raised at the "Peremoga" breeding farm in the Ukrainian SSR, at the Rezekne poultry farm in the Latvian SSR, and on farms in other regions.

Local geese often possess good productive qualities and are distributed in various regions of our country. These include:

• Gorky;
• Tula;
• Pskov;
• Lithuanian;
• Grey Volyn;
• Steppe Ukrainian;
• North Caucasian;
• Chuvash;
• Georgian;
• Javakhetian;
• Armenian geese, etc.

Established or developing breed groups of geese are well adapted to local conditions and are part of the gene pool that can be used in breed formation and bird hybridization.

Breeding guinea fowl and quail

Other types of poultry. Guinea fowl. This bird is raised to obtain meat with a distinct flavor. The exterior features of guinea fowl are as follows:

• the body is long and set horizontally;
• there is a horn-like growth of a bluish-white color on the head;
• the neck is short;
• the tail is lowered and short;
• the beak is dark pink;
• the legs are pink or light gray.

The male is distinguished by a more massive head; the head appendage and wattles on the beak are larger in size; the male's call is monosyllabic, while the female's is disyllabic. Usually, the distance between the pubic bones in females is greater than in males. Based on plumage color, gray, blue, and white guinea fowl are distinguished. In gray and blue guinea fowl, the entire plumage is evenly covered with white dots. White, but shiny dots are also located on the white plumage. Small guinea keets have brown down, lighter on the abdomen; their beaks and legs are red.

The eggs have a very thick shell, which increases their storage life under normal conditions and ensures their safety during long transport.

Quail. Quail are raised for eggs and meat, which is distinguished by its specific taste and aroma. For intensive breeding purposes, Japanese quail, which have become widespread in various countries, are of practical importance.

Fig. 33. White guinea fowl. Fig. 34. Male and female quail. Fig. 35. Utility pigeons.

This is a small bird with well-developed pectoral muscles. Its wings are short and rounded. The plumage coloration is brownish-gray, varying on the head, neck, breast, and other parts of the body.

Quail chicks grow rapidly, and at the age of 50—60 days they are slaughtered for meat. Quail eggs and meat are produced at a number of poultry farms, as well as in collective and state farms.

Characteristics of meat pigeon breeds

Meat breeds of pigeons. Adult males weigh about 900 g, females — 600 g.

The body of pigeons is horizontally set, short, broad, with a deep breast and a long keel of the sternum. The head is large and rounded, the neck is full.

For each breed of pigeons, the plumage coloration is different; the most common and valuable of these is white. Chapter III ®