A COMPARISON OF THE PROFITABILITY OF REARING GEESE AND DUCKS ON A FAMILY FARM

Abstract

The study's subject of observation was a flock of geese and ducks reared in the same livestock facility under appropriate living conditions. The ducks were kept in a closed building, while the geese had free range and pasture. The study analysed two flocks: 5,000 ducks and 5,000 geese. The study is based on actual income and expenditure obtained from the documentation kept on the farm. The analysis showed that geese performed significantly better in terms of profitability, but that rearing them is much more demanding. After calculating and evaluating the farm, it was concluded that goose production is more financially attractive, but it is impossible to run it year-round due to the lack of grazing and access to pastures in winter.

The study aimed to compare the issues and profitability of rearing geese and ducks using different husbandry methods, with identical flock sizes, and to assess the final financial outcome in the profitability study based on available farm documentation. The experiment was conducted in 2023 and 2024 on a family poultry farm in a building designed for waterfowl breeding.

The farm fully utilises its earning potential throughout the calendar year, maintaining alternating breeding, i.e. duck breeding in winter and goose breeding in summer.

After the experiment, which measured the birds' weight at the most crucial moments of rearing, it appears that the farm's profitability is significantly higher for geese than for ducks.