Editing Poultry (section)

==Goose==
{{main|Domestic goose}}
[[File:Domestic Goose.jpg|thumb|left|upright|An [[Emden goose]], a descendant of the wild [[greylag goose]]]]
The [[greylag goose]] (''Anser anser'') was domesticated by the Egyptians at least 3000 years ago,<ref name=faogeese>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4359E/y4359e03.htm |title=Origins and Breeds of Domestic Geese |author1=Buckland, R. |author2=Guy, G. |publisher=FAO Agriculture Department |access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> and a different wild species, the [[swan goose]] (''Anser cygnoides''), domesticated in Siberia about a thousand years later, is known as a [[Chinese goose]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bird-friends.com/BirdPage.php?name=White%20Chinese%20Goose |title=White Chinese Goose |author=Streit, Scott |year=2000 |work=Bird Friends Of San Diego County |access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> The two [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]ise with each other and the large knob at the base of the beak, a noticeable feature of the Chinese goose, is present to a varying extent in these hybrids. The hybrids are fertile and have resulted in several of the modern breeds. Despite their early domestication, geese have never gained the commercial importance of chickens and ducks.<ref name=faogeese/>

Domestic geese are much larger than their wild counterparts and tend to have thick necks, an upright posture, and large bodies with broad rear ends. The greylag-derived birds are large and fleshy and used for meat, while the Chinese geese have smaller frames and are mainly used for egg production. The fine down of both is valued for use in pillows and padded garments. They forage on grass and weeds, supplementing this with small invertebrates, and one of the attractions of rearing geese is their ability to grow and thrive on a grass-based system.<ref name=CALU/> They are very gregarious and have good memories and can be allowed to roam widely in the knowledge that they will return home by dusk. The Chinese goose is more aggressive and noisy than other geese and can be used as a guard animal to warn of intruders.<ref name=faogeese/> The flesh of meat geese is dark-coloured and high in protein, but they deposit fat subcutaneously, although this fat contains mostly [[Monounsaturated fats|monounsaturated fatty acids]]. The birds are killed either around 10 or about 24 weeks. Between these ages, problems with dressing the carcase occur because of the presence of developing [[pin feather]]s.<ref name=CALU>{{cite web |url=http://www.calu.bangor.ac.uk/Technical%20leaflets/040803seasonalgeese.pdf |title=CALU factsheet: Meat geese seasonal production |date=June 1, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref>

In some countries, geese and ducks are force-fed to produce livers with an exceptionally high fat content for the production of ''[[foie gras]]''. Over 75% of world production of this product occurs in France, with lesser industries in Hungary and Bulgaria and a growing production in China.<ref>{{cite news |title=China to boost foie gras production |author=Mo Hong'e |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/11/content_4409586.htm |newspaper=China View |date=April 11, 2006 |access-date=March 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602122944/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/11/content_4409586.htm |archive-date=June 2, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ''Foie gras'' is considered a luxury in many parts of the world, but the process of feeding the birds in this way is banned in many countries on animal welfare grounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foodfancy.net/docs/out17_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219011901/http://foodfancy.net/docs/out17_en.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Welfare Aspects of the Production of Foie Gras in Ducks and Geese |date=December 16, 1998 |work=Report of the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare |access-date=March 9, 2014 }}</ref>