Hoffmann, Edmund, 1985. The mongrel: a superb goose. Bull. British Waterfowl Ass’n Spring ‘85 p 52. Describes Canada x Common Goose hybrids

Printed January 20, 1994

The Mongrel a superb Goose

Hagadoorn, the distinguished Dutchman who was among the first to apply the fledgling science of genetics to practical animal breeding, wrote, "In America and Canada hybrids between Canada ganders and the domestic goose command a special price in some markets. The hybrids of which the female parent is the China goose are very strong and quick maturing and are perfectly fertile. From the hybrids a very variable population can be bred in which it would be probably possible to find material for the making of novel breeds if such were wanted."

His statement aroused my curiosity. Here was a chance to get some new genes into the domestic goose which although one of the first animals to have been domesticated by man has failed to improve in recent years to meet modern standards of efficiency in meat production.

Alas! Dr Hagadoorn was wrong. The Canada x domestic goose cross is not fertile. It produces a sterile hybrid like the progeny from a donkey x horse or, less well known. The mule duck of Taiwan (called mulard  in France) from the cross of a Muscovy male and a common duck. Any domestic goose can be used as the female parent; the hybrid does not require use of the China goose.

Eben Prime, Augusta, Maine and Lloyd Ramsey, Kensington, Prince Edward Island, raise the Canada cross and attest that the hybrid is sterile. Gray, the authority on bird hybrids reports no instance of a fertile hybrid from the cross. This is not surprising when one takes into account that the Canada goose is not a goose at all but a Brant, an Anserinae, a subfamily of Anatidae. Our domestic goose is Anser anser  (except for the China and African breeds which are Anser Cygnoides, Swan Goose). The mongrel is from the cross of two genera not closely related.

However, when one door closes another opens. Even though the hybrid cannot reproduce it has a great deal of merit in its own right. It makes a unique and delicious meal. Commonly called the “mongrel” goose the hybrid has a long tradition as a gourmet dish in New England, Southern Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. But, with the advent of highly specialized commercial farming after World War 2 production ceased. Lloyd Ramsey remembers when trucks came up to Prince Edward Island every year to pick up mongrels from small farmers destined for Boston and the Christmas dinner.

Besides Mr. Ramsey, a Mr. Mc Fadden of Bloomfield, PEI, still raises mongrels so the technique is not dead. Their trade comes by to get these delicacies before Christmas just as in years gone by.

The mongrel is larger than either parent and combines the better traits of each. Its a meaty bird, especially in the breast. It has less fat than the domestic goose and the fat is marbled through the meat rather than concentrated under the skin. The hybrid grows rapidly and matures early. A Canada goose lays only 8-12 eggs per year; a domestic goose depending on the breed and strain will lay 30-50 eggs. In producing mongrels the better meat quality of the Canada is combined with the better egg production of the domestic goose. Fortunately the mongrel resembles the Canada enough to be readily recognized as genuine. It would be difficult to counterfeit.

To produce mongrel it is necessary to induce Canada ganders normally considered to be monogamous to mate with domestic geese. Imprinting must begin early in life. The ganders are raised with domestic females and never see their own kind. Matings are made in the fall that the gander is 2 years old. About 50% of the matings are successful at this age the remaining ganders should be ready for mating when three years old. Of course some ganders never take a mate but this occurs in the wild as well.

Infertile eggs due to failure to mate are a major problem. Besides imprinting to break down psychological barriers, quit familiar surroundings with plenty of room for each pair are necessary. Interference among pairs must be avoided. A small pool is thought to result in more successful copulations. When the Canadas do mate the eggs are more often fertile than eggs from geese mated to domestic ganders who mate more often but with less success.

A good well adjusted gander is very valuable. Lose one and it may take years to find another. Ramsey’s best gander would mate with three domestic geese a season even after having been previously mated to a Canada goose.

Hatching and rearing procedures are the same as for domestic goslings which is not to say there are no problems. Ramsey uses broody Araucana chicken broodies for hatching goose eggs. Each hen covers only three eggs. A Muscovy duck might be better!

Here is an interesting sidelight. Ramsey found that the goslings from the cross of Canada ganders with Emden geese could be color sexed at time of hatch. The female’s down is grey with some black in the neck and the male’s down is light grey in color. Apparently the incompletely dominant sexed-linked blue dilution gene of the Emden dilutes the grey pattern of the Canada, Jerome, 1970.

Ramsey himself still thinks there is a chance of obtaining fertile mongrels. He says that they have not been given a fair test because, “people eat them don’t keep them.” He thinks a mature female mongrel will lay a few eggs but that the hybrid males is sterile. (But maybe the eggs would not hatch.)

In the past the growing of mongrels was a small farm enterprise, a cottage industry. But if we can learn from the success of the male duck in Taiwan use of artificial could make feasible a unique and delicious dish for our affluent society.

References

Gray, A. P., 1958. Bird Hybrids, Commonwealth Bur. Animal Breeding and Genetics, Edinburgh Tech. Comm 13

Hagadoorn, A. L. and Geoffrey Sykes, 1953. Poultry Breeding. Crosby and Lockwood, London

Jerome, F. N., 1970. Inheritance of plumage color of domestic geese. Proceedings of the World’s Poultry Congress, Madrid