Geese - Vištinės

   Vishtines gooses were created by crossing ancient local gooses with East Prussian domestic, Emden, and partly Pomeranian breed gooses in the first half of the XX century. There were two local selected goose breeds: vishtines gooses and flock gooses; however, during the Soviet period goose breeding was in decline, which led to extinction of local breeds. As a more promising variety, vishtines gooses were included into the USSR water bird collection still kept near Moscow, and stayed a part of it until 1995. One hundred eggs from this collection was taken to Lithuania, and that enabled to recreate the population of vishtines gooses. Lithuanian flock gooses died out as a breed.
   Vishtines gooses are white and universal in terms of productivity: they are suitable for the production of down, meat and liver. During the process of shedding feathers, gooses can be plucked while still alive. Gooses are not identified individually, there is no herd books, and there is no action plan so far; productivity control is used for goose flocks only. The Lithuanian Institute of Animal Science takes care about the recreation and preservation of the vishtines goose population: 120 goose flocks of three different age groups are kept at the Institute. These flocks are used for the reproduction of vishtines goose population. Even though about 600 goslings are distributed to farmers every year, no new reproductive flocks could be formed, thus the breed is considered critical-supportive.