Arzamas geese are characterized by a number of features. These birds are highly productive, and therefore are very popular among farmers. In addition, birds are considered unpretentious in care and have strong immunity. However, in order to achieve success in their cultivation, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations and provide the birds with a balanced diet.
Origin story
The birds received their name in honor of the city of Arzamas, which is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region. They were originally raised as fighting birds.At the beginning of the nineteenth century, birds began to be valued for their tender, high-quality meat. Detailed information about birds can be found in books from the time of Catherine the Second. This empress was a fan of goose fighting and gave Arzamas the name of the goose capital. There are descriptions of the breed in the book of I. I. Abozin, who was an expert on farm birds.
The breed stopped developing during the Second World War. But soon after the victory, the breeders managed to restore the livestock and began its subsequent development.
Description and characteristics of geese of the Arzamas breed
Representatives of this breed are characterized by the following features:
- snow-white color;
- small round head;
- massive forehead and back of the head;
- well developed cheek muscles;
- massive orange beak;
- large eyes of sky or black color with bright yellow eyelids;
- wide chest;
- wings tightly fitting to the body;
- short and powerful legs that are orange in color;
- large paws with straight toes.
In addition to excellent external data, birds are characterized by excellent productivity parameters. The live weight of a goose reaches 6 kilograms, a geese – 5-5.5. At 2 months, young birds weigh 3.5-4 kilograms.
Birds are characterized by average egg production rates. At the same time, the goose lays up to 25 eggs during the year. Oviposition begins at approximately 300 days. The weight of 1 egg reaches 170-180 grams.
The breed is characterized by high hatchability parameters. Egg fertilization rates are 85%. Geese are distinguished by a clearly expressed maternal instinct. They are excellent brood hens.
Main advantages and disadvantages
The egg production parameters of females reach 18-25 eggs during the season. Moreover, their weight is 165-180 grams. However, these birds have no noticeable shortcomings.
Subtleties of maintenance and care
Raising Arzamas geese requires the presence of a poultry house and an area for bird walking. It is advisable that they have access to a body of water. The dimensions of the room are calculated taking into account the livestock. There must be at least 1 square meter of area per 1 goose.
Despite the breed’s resistance to cold weather, it is recommended to insulate the floor in the poultry house. This will help avoid increased dampness and the development of pathologies. Air temperature parameters should be at least +10 degrees. It is recommended to place bedding at least 30 centimeters thick on the floor of the poultry house. It is made from hay, peat, straw or sawdust.
Geese require nests. They should be made of wood and have a thick bottom. It is of no small importance to prepare hatches for birds to go outside. You should definitely place containers with ash or sand in the poultry house - this will allow the birds to clean their feathers in them.
Geese need walks in the fresh air in winter and summer. In this case, the walking area can be made open or closed. If there is a fence, it is much easier to control the geese's food intake. It is advisable to plant cereal grasses in the walking area in advance.
To simplify geese care, it is recommended to place a pond near the poultry house.If this is not possible, it is enough to install baths with water.
Feeding ration
When preparing a diet for geese, you should consider the following rules:
- At 7-10 days it is recommended to give the goslings boiled eggs in crushed form and greens.
- From day 10 it is permissible to introduce crushed millet and corn into the diet. The daily volume of such food for geese less than 1 week old is 30 grams, and in 7-14 days it is increased to 90 grams.
- From two weeks of age, it is permissible to introduce mixed feed into the diet of birds. It helps you grow faster and gain body weight. This is due to the high content of useful elements.
Compound feed can be given to geese in dry form or in the form of mash. Wet food helps normalize the functions of the digestive organs and improve their health. Adult birds need 330-340 grams of food. It is permissible to feed Arzamas geese with vegetables, cereals, and dairy products. You can also use chalk, shell rock, and hay flour. However, this is less convenient than using mixed feed.
Reproduction
Geese begin laying eggs at approximately 8 months. The maximum productivity of birds occurs at 2 years. After this, the indicators decrease. It takes 22 days to hatch the eggs or incubate them. After this time, goslings are born.
Babies grow fast. This helps organize broiler housing, raising birds for up to 2 months. At this point, their weight is 3.5 kilograms. Then keeping the birds is not very profitable, since molting begins and the condition of the carcass deteriorates significantly.
Diseases
These geese have strong immunity. They can easily withstand the cold. However, violation of the conditions of detention can provoke some diseases.Most often they develop in conditions of high humidity.
In most cases, increased dampness provokes the appearance of aspergillosis. This infectious disease is associated with infection by fungi. Its development is explained by the formation of mold on the litter. Colibacillosis is considered another dangerous pathology of geese. The development of the disease is caused by infection with Escherichia coli. Most often, pathology develops in weakened birds.
Arzamas geese are considered a popular breed. This is due to their high productivity and undemanding conditions. At the same time, it is important to provide the birds with proper nutrition and avoid high humidity in the poultry house.
