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Importance of goose feathers
Geese feathers are a renewable animal product that exceeds all other textile filling materials in regards to their quality properties (Schneider, 1991). Owing to their peculiar structure and down content, goose feathers are excellent thermal insulators (Schneider, 1995) with an optimal ability to accumulate and dissipate heat (Schneider, 1991). Goose feathers are more hygroscopic than synthetic fillers (Pingel, 2004) and can therefore also absorb moisture from coetaneous respiration and evaporate it gradually later on (Von Luttitz, 1990). The extreme elasticity and low bulk density of goose feathers are further advantages. Owing to these characteristics, goose feathers and down are suitable for the filling of bedding (e.g. pillows, quilts) and clothes (Schneider, 1991).
Besides meat, liver and egg production, waterfowl is used as a valuable source of feathers and down (Pingel, 2010). In 2000, the value of world trade of 55,000 tons of down and feather was US$600 million. The largest exporter was China with a share of 22,500 tons (52.5%) of the total export (42,800 tons). It was followed by Taiwan with 9,000 tons, and Thailand and Hungary with 3,000 tons each (Wezyk and Cywa-Benko, 2002, op cit. Pingel, 2010). Feather and down is largely obtained either after the slaughter of waterfowl as a by-product or from small-scale farms by harvesting from live ducks and geese at the time of moulting. The harvesting of feathers from fattening geese kept on pastures and from breeder duck and geese flocks in the non-laying period can be an additional source of income (Pingel, 2010).
The volume of trade in feathers and down is not detailed separately by species (e.g. duck, goose) or by the type of harvesting (i.e. by hand or machine after slaughter). From the size of waterfowl flocks, it can be deduced that the higher part of traded feathers and down comes from the duck and only a very small percentage (1 to 2%) of total goose feathers and down produced is in fact removed from live birds.
During the course of slaughter, feathers and down is exposed to various unfavourable effects which degrade its quality. In the slaughterhouse the birds are bled, dipped in hot water and plucked by machine. Therefore during...