Best goose breeds for meat

Raise Dewlap Toulouse geese for maximum meat yield. This French heritage breed rivals or exceeds Embdens in size, with mature ganders reaching 26-30 lbs. Their grey plumage and heavy build make them a classic choice for backyard meat production.

Raise Embden geese for backyard meat production. These large, fast-growing white birds reach 20-30 lbs at maturity and are one of the most popular meat breeds worldwide. Their white plumage produces a clean-looking carcass after plucking, improving presentation.

Raise White Chinese geese when a smaller, faster-maturing meat bird is preferred. At 10-12 lbs mature weight, they produce compact roasting birds sooner than heavy breeds. White feathers yield a clean carcass with no pigment spots after plucking.

Raise African geese for a large, distinctive meat bird. Recognized by the prominent knob on their beak, African geese reach 18-22 lbs at maturity and produce well-proportioned carcasses. They are active foragers that thrive on pasture.

Raise Pilgrim geese for a balanced combination of meat and egg production. This medium-weight breed reaches 13-14 lbs and lays 35-50 eggs per year. Pilgrims are auto-sexing -- males hatch white and females hatch olive-grey -- simplifying flock management from day one.