Guide to Goose Breeds – All Domestic Breeds of Geese in the US

Geese are among the most popular of domesticated birds. On this page, we want to talk about all goose breeds and their purposes as a domestic bird. We want to give you an overview as to why there are several different breeds of goose.

Of course, we also have a list of all domestic geese breeds that are recognized in the US, so you can find the goose that is perfect for you to raise.

All Goose Breeds Recognized in the US

This is the official list of all goose breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association in US.

Goose Breeds Varieties and Types

Goose Breed	Variety	Type
African	Brown, White	Heavy
American Buff	Buff	Medium
Canada	Eastern	Light
Chinese	Brown, White	Light
Egyptian	Brown	Light
Embden	White	Heavy
Pilgrim	Sex-linked	Medium
Pomeranian	Gray Saddleback, Buff Saddleback	Medium
Sebasopol	White	Medium
Steinbacher	Blue	Medium
Toulouse	Buff, Gray	Heavy
Tufted Roman	White	Light

Where Do Domestic Breeds of Geese Come From?

All different domestic geese breeds, no matter what they are, will descend from one of two wild geese:

• European geese descend from the Greylag Goose
• Asian geese descend from the Swan Goose

So, if they all have the same origins, why do we have so many different goose breeds? This is all down to selective breeding.

As you will see in a short while, domestic geese have been bred for several different purposes.

This means that certain geese have been bred to have superior traits in some areas e.g. better egg-laying, or better quality meat.

This is why all geese breeds look different. On this page, we have listed all different goose breeds o, so you can get a feel for just how different they are.

It is worth noting that it isn’t just the look of the domestic goose that will change as they are bred. Their personality traits will change too.

Some geese are going to be a lot friendlier than other geese as a result. This isn’t really anything that breeders focus on extensively.

They do not care that much whether their geese are friendly or not. When geese are farmed, they tend not to come into contact with humans all that often.

Remember; goose breeding doesn’t stop. The geese breeds available a few decades now will likely be massively different to the geese that we have now. Breeders will always be trying to make their geese better.

The Use for Domestics Geese – Types of Geese

To be honest with you, all goose breeds are suitable for a variety of different purposes. For example; a goose breed that has been raised mostly for eggs can provide a decent amount of meat.

However, if you are farming geese, then you will probably want to choose the goose that is most suitable for whatever purpose you have in mind.

Let’s take a little look at the various purposes for domestic geese breeds, shall we?

Goose Breeds for Show

While goose shows are not as popular as chicken shows, they still exist. The purposes of these shows will be for breeders to show off top specimens of their stock, and hopefully win a few awards for it.

Most geese breeds will have shows dedicated to them. This is, in part, down to the fact that it allows breeders to sell their goose stock.

For example; if they have a goose that seems to be brilliant as a meat producer, the breeder can sell breeding stock. For many goose breeders, this is a tremendous way to make money.

Even if you are not planning on attending a goose show, you can also use geese as ornamental birds.

However, you will probably want to choose one of the quieter breeds if you are planning on using them for decorative purposes.

Breed of Geese for Meat

This is probably the main purpose of geese nowadays. They are farmed extensively for their meat. After all, this is a large bird that is capable of feeding a lot of people.

They are pretty easy to raise too, even if they do consume a decent chunk of food.

It isn’t just their meat that they are used for either. In France, geese are often raised for their livers (foie gras), and they are often used for their fat, which can be used for a multitude of different roasting purposes.

Their bones can also be used to make poultry stock. Basically, nearly every single part of the goose can be used by somebody that knows how to work with it.

The geese that are best for meat are the faster-growing breeds. However, do bear in mind that the faster-growing goose breeds are only for meat purposes.

They grow too fast for anything else. If they are not slaughtered early on, then they will die naturally soon after due to there being too much pressure on their body.

Goose Breeds for Eggs

Geese do not lay a huge number of eggs, so any eggs that they do lay tend to be used for breeding as opposed to eating. However, there are some places where geese eggs are seen as a delicacy.

This shouldn’t really be a surprise, to be honest. They are massive, and they have a slightly different flavor profile to chicken or duck eggs.

If you are planning on breeding geese, then do not use their eggs for eating. Your geese will not be producing enough for both purposes.

Breeding

As we said right at the start; domestic geese are heavily bred. It is the only way to sustain their populations so they keep producing.

Geese are also bred to become ‘better’. Breeders never rest. They are always trying to create new goose breeds, or at least trying to develop older ones to be better at their job.

Breeding is quite difficult, and it probably isn’t something that you should be doing if you are new goose owner. However, as you become more familiar with the animal, it may start to become something that you are interested in.

Other Uses of the Goose Breeds

Geese can also be raised for their feathers. However, this is going to be more of a side-benefit of raising geese, we can’t think of a single goose that is only raised for their feathers. This would be a waste of resources.

Conclusion

There are a lot of goose breeds out there, and they each of their own uses. It is up to you to go through the various goose breeds and choose the right one for you.

To make this easier, we have put together a list of goose breeds, that way you can find the one nice and quickly.