Rao Ping Lion Head Goose

Rao Ping Lion Head Goose

The Rao Ping Lion Head Goose is a product with geographical indication status.

　　The Lion Head Goose is the largest and finest breed of goose cultivated in rural China and also one of the largest geese in the world. It originated in Fubin Township, Rao Ping County, Guangdong Province, and is widely distributed in Chenghai, Chao’an, and the suburbs of Shantou. Its feathers are grayish-brown or silver-gray, while the belly feathers are white. The goose has a large head and small eyes, with prominent black flesh wattles on the top and sides of the head. These wattles can grow larger with age, resembling a lion’s head—hence the name “Lion Head Goose.” It has large throat wattles underneath. The beak is short and wide.

　　The neck is of moderate length, the chest and belly are broad and deep, and the feet and webbed toes are orange-yellow or yellowish-gray. Adult male geese weigh 10–12 kg, and females weigh 9–10 kg. They grow quickly, have strong constitutions, mature early, and develop rich muscle mass with excellent meat quality. However, they produce few eggs per year—only about 25–35, each averaging around 203 grams. They are highly tolerant of coarse feed and have a large appetite. Meat geese aged 75–90 days typically weigh 5–7.5 kg. They move slowly and have relatively poor foraging abilities. They possess brooding instincts and have been introduced across various regions of China.

　　The Lion Head Goose has brownish feathers all over its body and wings, with lighter edges forming a bordered effect. From the crown to the back of the neck, there is a band of dark brown feathering resembling a mane. The underside of the feathers is white or grayish-white. The body shape of the Lion Head Goose is square, with a large head and thick neck, and the front part of the body is slightly higher. Male geese carry themselves upright and walk with a majestic posture. The forehead features well-developed flesh wattles that protrude forward, covering the beak. There are one to two pairs of symmetrical black flesh wattles on both cheeks. These wattle characteristics are more pronounced in adult males and in female geese over two years old. The beak is short, hard, and black, with keratinous saw-like serrations where it meets the mouth. The facial skin is soft, the eyelids are prominent and often black, giving the appearance of sunken eyeballs with brown irises. The throat pouch under the jaw is well developed and extends all the way to the neck. The shanks are thick and the webbed toes are wide, both being orange-red with black spots. The skin is beige or milky white. There are skin folds on the inner thighs that resemble pouches.

　　Geographic Range

　　Guangdong Province’s Rao Ping County is the birthplace of the Lion Head Goose, with Xilou Village in Fubin Town being the oldest origin site. Rao Ping County is located along the eastern coast of Guangdong, between 116°35′–117°11′ east longitude and 23°28′–24°14′ north latitude. The county stretches 95 km from north to south and 31 km from east to west, covering a total area of 2,203 square kilometers, including 1,670 square kilometers of land (over 70% mountainous, 15.8% arable land) and 533 square kilometers of sea area. It is the largest county in the Chaoshan region and one of Guangdong’s mountainous counties. In recent years, the number of Lion Head Geese raised has reached 1.8 million, with household breeding spread across 432 villages in 22 towns and farms, mainly in central and coastal areas rich in freshwater resources such as Fubin, Fushan, Lianrao, Gaotang, Zhangxi, Qiandong, and Huanggang.