Goose
The ancestors of the domestic goose are considered to be the wild greylag goose – the goose, the Chinese goose and the Canada goose. The domestication of the greylag goose occurred around 3000 BC, the Chinese goose around the 10th century,
and the Canada goose only in the 18th century. It is said that in the 17th century, goose made its permanent appearance on Polish tables on 11 November. It was accepted that 11 November marked the end of goose fattening and the beginning of goose consumption, which lasted until the end of the carnival. To this day, goose farming in Poland is our speciality. Goose is sold to Germany, England, Switzerland or Denmark. Down and feathers from Polish geese are highly valued by customers in Western Europe, Japan or the USA and are used to make the highest quality pillows and duvets, as well as down jackets.
As a result of the domestication process, the body weight of geese increased, they lost their ability to fly and their flight instinct disappeared. The birds ceased to be monogamous and the number of eggs they lay increased – however, we can still speak of seasonality.
Meat from geese has not only exceptional taste, but also health benefits. It supplements the diet with vitamins A, E, PP and B vitamins, especially niacin. The fat from this bird species contains a wealth of unsaturated fatty acids: oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic.
Breeding and feeding
Today, there are many breeds of domestic goose, including the Italian White-fronted Goose, the Sevastopol Goose and the Vendée Goose. However, the white Kołudzka goose is worth mentioning. It originates from Kołuda Wielka near Inowrocław, and its name has been registered in the Patent Office and is the only indigenously Polish poultry breed.
Geese are not suitable for industrial rearing – they are very bad at staying indoors all the time. For this reason, they are kept in open, partially covered runs. Geese are reared until they are about 17-18 weeks old, when they reach a body weight of about 5 kg.
The geese are fed with concentrated feed – complete feed or feed prepared on their own farm based on concentrates and cereals, as well as significant quantities of green fodder. In the case of ‘Polska Biała Gęsi Owsiana’ – its name has been registered as a brand name in Germany – during the last three weeks before slaughter, they are fed oats, the grain of which has a higher nutritional value than other cereals.
Is goose meat healthy?
Unfortunately, goose meat is still eaten very little in Poland. And goose meat has not only exceptional taste, but also health benefits. It supplements the diet with vitamins A, E, PP, and B vitamins, especially niacin. The fat from this bird species contains a wealth of unsaturated fatty acids: oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic. These acids have the effect of lowering the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood and raising the level of good cholesterol (HDL). In addition, they have a beneficial effect on brain function. Therefore, goose meat is recommended for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and it is worth thinking about including goose in the diet.
For years, rendered goose lard has been used in folk medicine – for colds and for painful joints. In olden times in Poland, a soup made from the blood of geese or ducks, called black soup or “czernina”, was served to a bachelor who was trying to marry a maiden. Serving such a soup at a meal meant a clear rejection. The motif of black soup appeared in Adam Mickiewicz’s Pan Tadeusz.
