Breeding geese of the Mamut breed is a profitable activity for farming enterprises. Poultry that are unpretentious in keeping quickly gain weight, are distinguished by high quality of feathers and tender meat. They are recommended for large poultry farms and personal subsidiary plots. They do not require special care, they are perfectly adaptable to different conditions and are suitable for novice poultry breeders.
Features:
Farmers from different countries have long appreciated the Mamut breed of geese for its many positive qualities and ease of cultivation. Large poultry produces quality meat that is distinguished by excellent nutritional properties, good taste and ease of heat treatment.
Geese lay eggs weighing up to 200 g, laying at least 50 pieces per year. The breed was bred in Denmark, quickly spread throughout Europe, became popular in Germany, France and Holland. Translated into Russian, "mamut" means "large", "large", which can be considered a characteristic. Only in 1996 did the geese come to the territory of Russia, being brought in by German specialists for breeding on farms.
External characteristics
When breeding, the breeders managed to combine the positive characteristics of the Lands and Toulouse geese. The standard breed description has the following characteristics.
- White feathers have a dense structure, do not let water through. Down feathers are soft and perfect for bedding.
- The male mamut reaches 10-13 kg, the average weight of the female is 8-9 kg.
- There is no bump on the beak.
- The neck is not too long, in proportion to the body of the bird.
- The feet and beak have a bright orange tint with a pink undertone.
Behind the standard description is a beautiful bird larger than an ordinary goose. Unlike other breeds, the gene pool has good immunity and resistance to infections. Of 10 goslings, at least 8-9 individuals survive under normal conditions. They are distinguished by excellent appetite, therefore, when fattening, they often show a weight of over 14 kg without excess fat.
Benefits:
- high quality meat;
- ease of catering;
- fast weight gain;
- early reproduction - from 6 months;
- excellent egg production.
Mamuts are unpretentious birds that, when consumed no more than 90-95 kg per year, give a large increase in weight. Therefore, farmers prefer to start them for quick profit in the spring-summer season: after 8-9 weeks, young animals reach 6 kg of weight. Of the shortcomings, it can only be noted that geese of this breed are quite expensive, in addition, females may refuse to hatch eggs.
Video about the breed of geese Mamut, see below.
Content rules
Due to the unpretentiousness of the breed, the bird does not require special conditions for keeping. It is ideally adapted to temperate climates, not afraid of hot or cool weather.
For a comfortable accommodation, it is recommended to allot a warm and dry room at the rate of 1m2 for 2 geese of any sex.
Silage or hay is used as bedding, soft sawdust that cannot chop the legs. The best option is a flat concrete floor that does not allow moisture, and dense flooring. You can make it yourself by mixing crushed peat and large wood chips. For walking, a spacious pen with a small reservoir or bathing tank is suitable. In such conditions, the animal feels comfortable in the warm season, gaining weight well.
For feeding geese of the Mamut breed, you can use:
- soybean meal;
- sunflower residues after oil extraction;
- finely chopped grass;
- compound feed;
- bran;
- crushed peas.
As the gosling grows, you should add whole grains of wheat to the diet, offer moist mash and more greens (clover, alfalfa). With such a diet, it is possible to achieve the maximum amount of nutrients and vitamins. When pasture feeding, change the drinking water daily with fresh water, add feed with coarse fiber.
If mamut geese are purchased in winter, it is important to find a balance of feed in order to ensure full development and high quality of meat. Therefore, fresh grass must be replaced with chopped corn stalks; it will be just as useful to add grated pumpkin, turnips, and fodder beets to the porridge. Birds gain weight from grains and oil cake, which should make up 15-20% of their daily diet.
An important warning from experienced poultry farmers: it is strictly forbidden to introduce rye in any form in the menu. It contains enzymes and amino acids that irritate the stomach lining of this bird. Her appetite decreases, there is a lack of weight for no apparent reason.
Breeding
Many farmers try to breed mamut geese on their own because of the real shortage of the breed in the domestic market. But the problem is the almost complete lack of hen instinct in geese of this species: they do not want to sit on eggs to breed chicks, they often crush them when they try to force landing on the nest. Therefore, poultry farmers have 2 options:
- fertilized eggs are placed on a female gray goose or other breed;
- use an artificial incubator made industrially or by hand.
In order for the offspring to have excellent health, it is necessary to select mamut geese from different litters. Farmers often switch birds to eliminate related genes. From the moment of fertilization of the egg to the appearance of the chick, 27-28 days pass.
Babies should be fed with yolk and cottage cheese from the first days, monitor the cleanliness of the feeders and the aviary. Already on the 10th day, they begin to introduce grain feed, boiled vegetables and bran.
Goslings of the Mamut breed quickly switch to a regular diet, they feel great with free range. Vitamin supplements in the form of eggshells processed into flour are recommended. Despite good immunity, it is necessary to carefully examine the bird every 4 weeks in order to timely prevent overfeeding or diseases.