Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-12-20

ment of Agriculture)
If the goose of the fable was able to |
lay a golden egg, there is no reason
why her progeny of the present era |
cannot repeat this miracle in more |
concrete form. Goose meat is nutri-
tious and palatable and not greasy |
when properly cooked, and an extern
sion OF goose raising in the regions of
cheap land where pasturage is abund-
ant is a suggested source Of cheaper
meat
Geese are raised chiefly in the South
and middle West, Kentucky, Tennes-
see. Missouri and Arkansas being the
chief supply sources. During the de-
cade ending in 1910, the total number
Of geese declined % per cent, largely
because of the lack of cheap pastures
and the limited demand for goose
feathers and goose flesh. Thousands
of acres of native grass throughout
the South and some parts Of the mid
die West are qualified for geese rails
ing operations and should, if possible,
add this branch of poultrying to their
| activities. This is the opinion of
United States department of agricul-
ture specialists
Popular Breeds.
The Toulouse, Embden, Chinese and
African are the most popular Ameri-
can breeds of geese, the first two great
ly leading the others. Occasionally
the eggs are used for cooking, but gem
orally geese are kept only for meat
and feather production. Practically
all the geese in this country are raised
in small focks on general farms, some
men making a speciality of collecting
large numbers Of geese and fattening
them for a few weeks before they are
killed. AS grass makes up the bulk
of feed for geese, it is doubtful wheth-
err it pays to raise them unless good
grass range is available during the
summer. A pool Of water for bathing
and recreational purposes is also
desirable feature.
The market for geese is not so gen
eral as for chickens. This point should
be considered in undertaking the rails
ing of geese. The demand and the
price paid for geese are usually good
in sections where goose fattening is
conducted on a large scale.
Geese Are Rugged and Hardy.
Geese are hardy birds and need shell
ter only in winter or stormy weather.
An open shed or an old barn usually
is satisfactory for this purpose. From
4 to 20 geese may be kept on an acre
of land, although under most condi-
tions ten is a fair average. Wherever
possible the geese should have free
range during the grass season. South
ern plantation owners keep geese to
kill the weeds in the cotton fields.
Geese are fed ration to produce
eggs during the latter part OF the win
ter so that the goslings will be Matched
by the time there is good grass pas
ture. The eggs may be Matched by
either hens or geese. Some breeders
prefer to raise all the gOslings under
hens, as geese sometimes become diff
cult to manage when allowed to hatch
and rear their young. The period OF
incubation of goose eggs varies from
% to 30 days.
Goslings do not need feed until they
are twenty-four or thirty-six hours ole
when they should be fed one of the
mashes recommended for chickens OF
goslings, or a mash or dough of two
thirds shorts (middlings) and one
third meal, which can be made OF
equal parts shorts and cornmeal, witt
s per cent of beef scrap added after
the goslings are six weeks old. Bread
and milk make an excellent feed fol
young goslings. Fine grit or sharI
sand should also be available in win
ter. If goslings are to be feathereC
the ration should be changed to one
third shorts and two-thirds cornmea
by weight, with 5 per cent Of bee
scrap added, while a feed Of corr
should be given at night.
. Most geese breeders do not confint
their geese for fattening, but feeC
them freely a few weeks on fatten
ing ration before they are to be mar
; keted. The geese may be confined fol
two or three weeks and fattened, bu
some green feed or vegetables SHOULD
i be added to the ration.
4 Adult geese may be fed for egg pro
{ duction on a mash of one pound O
cornmeal, one of bran, one of mid
dlings or low-grade -four, and 10 pc
cent of beef scrap, which is fed in thu
morning; equal parts of corn ant
j wheat, or corn alone, is fed at night
Grit and oyster shell should be KEEP
before geese when they are laying ant
may be provided all the time to ad
Q vantage. A constant supply of drink
r ing water should always be available
S under protection so that the gees,
r cannot get their feet into the water
Cut clover, hay, alfalfa, silage, cab
e bages, mangel-wurzel beets or an,
: waste vegetables may be fed during
/, the winter months.
o Geese Fattened in Confinement.
L Young geese when fully feathere,