The Emden or Embden is a German

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

of domestic goose. It is named for the town of

Emden Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528. History The exact founding date of E ...

in north-westernmost Germany.

History

The Emden is the oldest goose breed of the area that is now Germany, with origins believed to go back to the thirteenth century. It derives from the traditional large white geese of the

East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...

region of north-western Germany; these had a long curved neck and so were sometimes known as ''Schwanengans'' or "swan geese". The modern breed was established in the late nineteenth century. In 2016 the breeding population in Germany consisted of 238 female and 132 male birds. In 2020 the conservation status of the Emdener was listed in the Rote Liste of the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen in its Category II, ''stark gefährdet'' ("seriously endangered").

Characteristics

The Emden is the heaviest goose breed of Germany: ganders may weigh up to , and reach a height of a metre.

Use

The Emdener may be kept for meat or for eggs; the meat is of good quality. Geese may lay some 50–60 eggs per year, with an average weight of about

History

Characteristics

Use

References

Further reading