Toulouse

The Toulouse is a French breed of large domestic goose, originally from the area of Toulouse in south-western France. In Australia it is know for its large size and its dewlaps. The original grey-coloured variety is the original 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 equalled such weights. The breed was eventually exported to a number of countries around the world including Australia

The Toulouse generally has a placid disposition. Commercial varieties are fast growing in the ideal environment but exhibition lines grow more slowly.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Head strong and massive.

Bill strong, fairly short, and well set in a uniform sweep, or nearly so, from the point of the bill to the back of the skull.

Eyes full.

Neck long and thick, the throat well gulleted.

Body long, broad, and deep; prominent breast, deep and full, the keel straight from stem to paunch increasing in width to the stern and forming a straight under-line; broad shoulders.

Back slightly curved from the neck to the tail; large and strong wings; somewhat short tail carried high and well spread; paunch and stern heavy and wide, with a full rising sweep to the tail.

Legs short; shanks stout and strong-boned; straight toes connected by web.

Carriage somewhat horizontal, not as upright in front as the Embden, and thick set.

Plumage full, somewhat soft.

COLOUR

Bill, Legs and Feet orange. Eyes dark brown or hazel.

Plumage - Neck dark grey.

Breast and Keel: rather light grey, shading dark to thighs.

Back Wings and Thighs dark steel-grey, each feather laced with an almost white edging, the flights without white.

Stern, Paunch and Tail white, the tail with a broad band of grey across the centre.

WEIGHTS

Weight - Gander: 28lb to 30lb (12.7kg - 13.6kg). Goose: 20lb to 22lb (9.1 - 10kg).

(Note that the Australian Poultry Standard 2nd edition allows for a two pound lower minimum in the gander.)

SCALE OF POINTS

Toulouse Points from the British Poultry Standards referenced below.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

• Patches of black or white among the grey plumage

• Slipped or cut wings

• Any deformity.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

See Disqualifications

SOURCES

• The American standard of perfection, illustrated. A complete description of recognized varieties of fowls, as revised by [the Association at its 62d-67th annual meetings, 1937-42.] Public Domain accessed from: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009169004

• The Poultry club standards, containing a complete description of all the recognised varieties of fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys, ed. by William W. Broomhead. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009202629

• Australian Poultry Standards 2nd edition

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulouse_goose