A Complete Guide To Geese Farming.

In this article we will be discussing the extent to which geese farming is necessary in Nigeria. Many if us know about rearing ducks and hens but aren’t really keen to what poultry birds look like.

Geese farming is very profitable but untapped in Nigeria. Many who know about it prefer ducks and chickens to rearing Geese. Geese are also friendly animals and fat profit on investment. Just like other poultry birds they lay eggs and provide meat which a farmer can make a meaningful income from.

They come from the family of ducks and can survive both aquatic and terrestrial life. However, fertilization takes place in water and that is the reason they don’t give any problem to their free range rearing system.

Geese also serve several industry including their feathers using used as raw materials for the clothing industry. Well, geese offer a lot of benefits and in some minutes read we will be discovering that and how to rear them

Facts about geese and Geese farming

1. Geese are animals that live and survive in both land and water. They have web toes which allows them to swim in water just like ducks and spend most of their time on land. Roanoke of the reasons they are reared in swampy habitat as well.
2. There heat period is between September and October
3. They have a very sharp visibility property which helps them to notice intruders. Also, their very loud sound helps to keep alert that there is an intruder.
4. They are loyal animals and have just one mate till the end of their life.
5. They live for up to 20 years if they are killed by predators. That’s a lengthy lifespan to get quality materials from them.

Uses of Geese Farming in Nigeria

1. The meat and eggs of Geese contain a high proportion of protein needed for the growth of body tissues.
2. Also, geese feathers are used for making clothing and bedding materials for other animals.
3. They are herbivores and so they help in the management and control of weeds on the farm. Feeding on unwanted weeds, hence reducing competition and improving yield of each farm.
4. With their sharp vision and very loud sound, they can serve as security animals like dogs. Just that they might not be able to respond to attacks like dogs but will keep you aware.

Types of Geese breeds

1. The light Geese breed: This are the egg producing geese. They are mainly reared for their eggs and provide a high amount of eggs sold for profit. They are capable of laying over 80 eggs in a year. They have their own egg laying season when they lay most eggs, which is usually between May to September. Examples of this breed include: African, Chinese, Emden, standard Toulouse, and Buff.
2. The heavy Geese breeds: These are the meat producers. They are specifically fed and treated to produce robust meat rich in protein. Some of them grow up to 12-14 kg if they have been fed heavily such as Dewlap Toulouse. Also, there are some with 7 kg to 10 kg weights and they have been carefully treated with nutritious feeds to reach that level. Another thing is that some of the thinnest producers also provide enough eggs but they are not that spoken about because they’re reared for their meat.

Feeding of Geese

Just like every other poultry animal, geese are worth your time. They need to be cared for and properly fed so that they can’t provide optimum returns. It is only if you are able to invest very well in your geese that they will grow well and faster for you to make enough income for them. You need to feed to survive and they need to do that as well. Mire importance must be put in making sure that they are being fed with highly nutritious feeds.

Geese are herbivores and they feed on grases. This is one of the reason they are able to survive very well on free range rearing system. You should provide your geese with appropriate grass to help them grow well. Not that you can not try to leave them to graze alone but this is putting more effort into making sure that they are having adequate and sufficient nutrients for their development.

If you have a farm you can also make them work for you as that is a cultural practice of removing weeds. You just have to monitor them and make sure that they are not destroying crop as they were feeding.

Perfect Housing for Geese Farming

We house all livestock as per the way they would tolerate each other and will compete for space. Just make sure that you have enough space for each of your geese if you are keeping them under your nose.

Geese are animals that can choose to move from one place to another but you seem to be the Alpha and Omega and should choose whether to house them well or live with them to enjoy their freedom.

Keep them in a place that is cool during hot season and during cold season give them warmth in there housing. You can also provide bedding for them using saw dust and don’t make use of other materials like straw bedding or hay. Most importantly keep your animal from predators.

If you are rearing geese on a large scale or commercial level, you can have 4 geese in a 14ft x 20ft (4.3m x 6.1m) enclosure(housing) to keep things more accurate. However, give your Geese enough space to do several things.

You might also like:

A complete guide to geese farming

Profitable vegetable farming, a complete guide

Profitable Soybean Farming – A Beginners Guide to

How To Start a Profitable Castor Bean Farming And Make Millions

Profitable Groundnut Farming – A beginners guide.