Though it consumed a large quantity of food, its rate of growth was slow. Farmers lacked modern knowledge of raising geese, and profits were correspondingly low. As a result, geese were expensive, and rarely seen in the market. As people's living standards were gradually improved, however, the popularity of goose meat grew.
產蛋後，母鵝「賴抱」（賴在窩裡不愛吃飼料，形同孵蛋）期長，繁殖不容易，而它們平時的食量大，成長又慢，所以養鵝很難賺到錢，一般農家通常只養三、五隻，養了一、兩年後自己食用。