Arzamas Goose

a strain of goose raised in the Arzamas Raion, Gorky Oblast. The goose is large, with a wide, thick, horizontally oriented body. The feathers are white, although gray and skewbald birds are also found, and the beak is orange-red. Arzamas geese are divided into three groups according to the shape of the beak: aquiline, spoon-shaped, and straight. The liveweight of the gander is 7 kg; the female weighs 6 kg. The egg-laying capacity is 15–20 eggs, but the best breeders give up to 40 eggs. The weight of the egg is 170–175 g, and the very largest may be as much as 190 g. The geese mature quickly, reaching the mature weight in seven to eight months, and they fatten well. Breeding is carried on in the Gorky Oblast, other Middle Volga oblasts, and the Chuvash ASSR.