Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-31
GOOD MONEY in GEESE
One Woman Farmer Says They Pay
Better Than Chickens or Ducks.
(By Anna Galigher. ohio.o

VA - IACl tne common gray geese
Wv Tor several years and consid-
cred them more profitable
than ducks or turkeys at that time.
Being easily raised and foraging for
the greater part of their living, the
proceeds from the geese were nearly
All clear profit. However, they had
hapit OF wandering off to the creek
ana into the adjoining grain fields so
we decided to sell them and begin
anew with the Toulouse, or dry land
geese. we have never regretted the
change.
The Toulouse are the largest gray
geese we know of and are. we believe.
more easily raised than any of the
other improved breeds. They reach
maturity about two and half years
old and single specimens often weigh
twenty-five pounds at this age. Old
olrds go as high as thirty-two pounds
Geese live to great age and are
said to be in their prime for breeding
purposes when from four to ten years
old.
Toulouse geese seldom rise from ths
ground and are. therefore, easily kept
within bounds. A fence that will turn
cattle or sheep will confine them, and
q
plenty OF pasture and good water to
drink.
They do not require water to swim
IN. me pasture need not be first class
as they will eat with apparent relish
coarse grass and weeds that cattle will
not touch.
Geese are more like sheep or goats
IN this respect than they are like
fowls
IT allowed to roam at will they can
i've half the year without grain OF
shelter, and in winter they will eat
anything that cattle will eat.
The goose is not at all particular
as 20 the quality of the food so long
as the quantity is sufficient.
In winter they must have some kind
| Of roughage, such as clover, alfalfa.
or corn fodder.
Grain Is also necessary and If thu
geese are being fattened for the mar.
ket 1t should be ground Two parts
corn meal and one part bran, moist.
ened little, is much better than
whole corn.
Salt should be added to the feed
every other day and grit must be pro.
vfded at all times Coal cinders and
|
See that they have water in winter
as we'll as in summer
Here is our winter ration for the
breeders: Roughage, same as men.
toned above, scalded oats or cooked
turnips mixed with bran for the morn
ing meal. A little whole corn at noon
and raw-cut vegetables, mixed with
equal parts of corn meal and bran al
night
A dry shed with plenty of clean lit-
I ter for bedding is all they seem to re.
quire in the way of shelter Geese
can endure more cold without suffer-
Ing than any other domestic fowl, but,
/! it is not advisable to let them sleep on
the frozen ground, as they sometimes
insist upon doing.
It costs only little more to pro.
duce pound of goose meat than a
5. pound of pork. and the price of tha
former is usually about twice that OF
the latter.
A goose is more desirable in every
way than a hog. and yet most farmers,
prefer swine. If this prejudice could
be once overcome we believe that
goose farming could be made as profit
able here as in European countries
u While Americans have not, hereto3
fore, been large consumers of geeses
we are beginning to appreciate them,
and roast goose at Christmas is fast
becoming as popular as roast turkey
, at Thanksgiving.
In all the large Eastern cities there
, is growing demand for green geese
J Immature birds) early in the fall. and
well-fattened geese of all kinds bring
good prices all winter long.
, Goose feathers bring from 40 to 65
: cents per pound