The Faroese goose (Føroyska Gásin in Faroese) is probably the oldest form of tame

goose A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (the black geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and possibly the direct descendants of the tame geese that the Landnám folk brought from

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

and the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. Since the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...

have no native predators that are capable of killing the geese, a special "goose culture" has developed in the Faroe Islands, which has no equivalent in neighboring countries. From May to October one can see flocks of geese walking freely in the outfields, where they feed on the short summer grass without any supplementary feeding. In winter the geese move freely in the cultivated infields of the villages, which in some cases is of such good quality that earlier the geese did not need complementary feed in the winter. In most places, however, caretakers provide supplementary food just before and during egg laying and when snow is on the ground. The properties of today's Faroese geese result from natural selection over centuries, where only the most well-adapted birds reproduced.

Properties

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, the breed is described as a "not too large and not at all rough built, but otherwise it must not be refined and neat. Is very hardy and resistant to weather and disease and tolerates a harsh climate. It is hardy, very food-seeking and it has good juicy meat. Is somewhat temperamental, awake and guarding and will preferably be left alone during the breeding season." Further descriptions of the breed's phenotypic court detail: Gase 5–5,5 kg, (11-12 lbs) Goose: 4–4,5 kg, (8.8-9.9 lbs) Egg weight: 130 grams or 4.5 ounces. Most of the Faroese geese are slaughtered in December at a weight of 4–5 kg or 9-11 pounds. After three to four weeks of fattening the chicks are slaughtered. Earlier, most got lightly salted or wind-dried for winter supplies, and the goose is a

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table favorite.

References

External links

Gásahald í Føroyum, Ditlev Hammer
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720203553/http://www.heimabeiti.fo/default.asp?menu=36 , date=2011-07-20
Faroese goose
Birds of Europe Goose breeds Fauna of the Faroe Islands

Properties

See also

References

External links