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Brecon
Buff Geese -
a book, pictures and breed information
Breeders of exhibition
Brecon Buffs for 28 years
 In domestic
waterfowl, the Brecon is one of the few breeds of geese originating in
the UK. It was however, the first UK goose breed to be standardized.
Rhys Llewelyn of Swansea noticed buff-coloured geese on hill farms in
the Brecon Beacons and used this stock to develop his buff geese which
were recognized as a breed in 1934. The Brecon was developed as a hardy,
medium-weight goose which was able to look after itself on the farm - as
long as it was protected from foxes. Intended as a table bird, a plump,
round-breasted type was favoured. Buff birds are still popular on farms
and smallholdings in Wales today because they do seem to grow well on
free range grazing. They are also easier to dress for the table than
white or grey geese.Exhibition Brecons are beautiful birds with pink bills and pink feet to
match. They have deep brown eyes. Their buff body feathers are each
edged with a lighter shade. Weights range from 16-20lbs in the
gander and 14-18lbs in the goose.
Pure Brecons are classified as a rare breed in the UK, along with the
Sebastopol and true-breeding Pilgrim and West of England goose. During the 1980s, it was difficult to find Brecons which fitted the
standard description. Many farm 'buffs' are just utility buff geese. Unless the
pink bill is selected for, the orange beak will prevail. Such
birds are not Brecons. Fortunately the breed became very popular and much sought after as a
pet, ensuring its survival. Hand-reared Brecons can be very tame, and
the goose is an excellent sitter and mother.
Brief facts on keeping geese
Book about geese
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