Toulouse Geese
The "à bavette" or "with dewlap" type
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| Conservation status |
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| Other names | |
| Country of origin | France |
| Use | meat, foie gras, down feather, eggs |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Egg color | white |
| Classification | |
| APA | Heavy Goose |
| EE | yes |
| PCGB | Geese: Heavy |
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The Toulouse is a French breed of large domestic goose, originally from the area of Toulouse in south-western France. Two types are recognised: a heavy industrial type with dewlaps, the French: Oie de Toulouse à bavette; and a slightly lighter agricultural type without dewlaps, the French: Oie de Toulouse sans bavette. Both types are large, with weights of up to 9 kg. Birds bred in the United Kingdom and United States exclusively for showing may be still larger, and have a somewhat different conformation.
The original grey-coloured breed is a very old one and the name has been recorded back as far as 1555. The breed was first brought to the United Kingdom by Lord Derby in 1840, who imported some of them to England, and from then onwards the French Toulouse were used as breeding stock with the consequence that by 1894, English breeders had produced a massive bird. The 'Toulouse' in France, although kept in greater numbers, have never quite equalled such weights. The breed was later brought to North America, where it became popular in the upper Midwest due to its ability to withstand cold winters.
Poor foragers, the breed generally has a placid disposition. Geese typically weigh between 10-13lbs and ganders 12-15lbs. Ring size is 27 mm for both ganders and geese.
The production strain of the Toulouse goose was bred to be fast growing, gaining weight rapidly when there is an abundance of food and no room for exercise. It is thus an important meat producer and, with its oversized liver, a source of foie gras. Geese of the type without dewlaps lay 25–40 eggs extra-large white eggs per year, while geese of the dewlap type lay 20-35. Additionally, the goose's fluffy feathers are a good source of down feather.
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