A Technique for the Insemination of Geese

While the tendency toward monogamy in the domestic goose is not as pronounced as it is in wild geese, the domestic gander usually mates with only one or two and seldom more than four or five females. The females also exhibit a strong tendency to mate with a single male. Thus, a goose breeder is often unable to make desired matings, or to obtain the maximum number of progeny from a male. A technic for obtaining semen from males was described by Johnson (1954) and data were presented to indicate favorable fertility with the method of insemination. The method of obtaining semen was relatively simple. The oviduct of the females could not be everted, however, and considerable practice was required for proficiency in the technic for insemination. TECHNIQUE In December of 1958 it was found in our laboratories that the female goose can be everted by a modification of the…