Veterinary session

The gavage of ducks and geese is a tradition that can be traced back many-many years in Hungary. The process of gavage is a two-week-long method through which drakes and ganders are force-fed multiple times a day by the help of a feeding tube or pipe, or a machine. The result of this process is the so-called fattened duck or goose liver, originally named “foie gras” in France. Two major views may be articulated regarding the method of gavaging: one being the perspective of the consumers and the other of the producers of fattened duck and goose liver. In my paper, I have analysed these two separate groups. One of the most important reason behind the force-feeding of ducks is that it is cheaper, but they are able to produce fattened liver in almost the same quality as geese do and thus the consumption of these products may be spread in a wider range. The results received for the online survey also confirmed the presence of this two very different views, since according to the consumers the animals suffer much more during the gavaging method than they do according to the producers. Another surprising finding was, based on the results of the consumer-questionnaire, that despite the fact that plenty of people do not eat liver regularly, they are aware of the length of the duck and goose gavaging’s period and they also know what kind of birds are used for producing fattened liver. Results also confirmed that not only producers believe it is important for Hungary to have operable fattened duck and goose liver production, but consumers as well. However, certain changes are required in order to make that happen. A large portion of the producers claim that better measures for disease prevention are essential, just as the introduction of higher intervention prices. In light of the producers’ answers to the online survey, the increase of medicine and feed prices are huge problems beside the avian flu and the lack of labour as well. The preservation of fattened duck and goose liver production is not only a domestic issue but also an interest on the European level, since Hungarian producers manufacture 20% of all goose liver. Consequently, even the majority of small businesses dealing with the gavage of ducks and geese export liver to foreign markets, especially to France. Nevertheless, wider appreciation and social acceptance are required beyond economic measures. Although the majority of producers who filled out the questionnaire were not attacked by animal welfare because of their work, but it is possible that this will happen in the future It would be worth paying a little more attention to goose liver as a Hungarian product and its producers, so that high-quality fattened liver can come to the plate of anyone beside Hungarian consumers.