The Giant Dewlap 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.
History
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 equaled 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.
Characteristics
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. This breed lay 25–40 eggs extra-large white eggs per year.
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