Xupu goose

(1) Origin and distribution Produced on both banks of the Xushui River, a tributary of the Yuanshui River in Hunan Province. The central production area is located in Xinping, Matianping, Shuiche, Zhongxia, Mayangshui, Tongshuixi, Dawan and other places in Xupu County, and it is distributed throughout Xupu County and the counties and cities of the Huaihua region, and is also found in Longhui, Dongkou, Xinhua, Anhua and other places.

(2) Appearance characteristics The body is tall and large, the trunk is slightly long, and it is in the shape of a long cylinder. The gander holds its head and neck high, stands upright and majestic, has a crisp and loud call, and is strongly protective of the flock. The goose is slightly smaller in size, gentle in temperament, and strong in foraging ability; during the laying period, the rear part of the body is full and egg-shaped. The plumage color is mainly of two types, white and gray, with white being the majority. Gray geese have grayish-brown neck, back and tail, and a white abdomen; the skin is light yellow, the eyes are bright and spirited, the eyelids are yellow-white, and the iris is grayish-blue; the shanks and webs are both orange-red; the beak is black; the knob is protruding, grayish-black, and smooth on the surface. White geese have white plumage all over the body, and the beak, knob, shanks and webs are all orange-yellow; the skin is light yellow, the eyelids are yellow, and the iris is grayish-blue. The goose of this breed has a full rear body, a drooping abdomen, and an abdominal fold. About 20% of individuals have a tuft of feathers on the top of the head.

(3) Production performance ① Laying performance Generally, about 30 eggs are laid per year. The laying season is concentrated in late autumn and early spring, that is, September and October of the current year and February and March of the following year. Each period can produce 8-12 eggs, generally 2-3 periods per year, and high producers reach 4 periods. The average egg weight is 212.5 grams. The eggshell is mostly white, with a few being pale blue-green. The eggshell thickness is 0.62 mm, and the egg shape index is 1.28. ② Growth rate and performance for meat, liver and down production The birth weight of the Xupu goose is 122 grams, the body weight at 30 days of age is 1539 grams, the body weight at 60 days of age is 3152 grams, the body weight at 90 days of age is 4421 grams, and at 180 days of age the body weight of the gander is 5890 grams and that of the goose is 5330 grams. For 6-month-old meat geese, the half-eviscerated rate of ganders and geese is 88.6% and 87.3% respectively; the fully eviscerated rate of ganders and geese is 80.7% and 79.9% respectively. The Xupu goose has good liver production performance. After 3 weeks of forced feeding of adult geese, the average weight of the fatty liver is 627 grams, and the maximum fatty liver weight is 1330 grams. For a Xupu goose weighing 3400 grams, the average amount of feathers plucked at one time is 437.5 grams. ③ Reproductive performance The goose begins laying at about 7 months of age. The gander has mating ability at 6 months of age. The mating ratio of ganders to geese is 1:3-5. The fertilization rate of breeding eggs is 97.4%. The hatching rate of fertilized eggs is 93.5%. The service life of ganders is 3-5 years, and that of geese is 5-7 years. The survival rate of goslings at 30 days of age is 85%. This breed of goose has strong broodiness, generally 2-3 times per year, and up to 5 times in some cases.