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| | This turkey has what some are calling a proud heritage. Indeed, gourmet cooks are flocking (so to speak) to poultry farm this Thanksgiving to buy one of the birds. Rick and Mary Pitman said on the phone from the farm in the Fresno area that their phone hardly has stopped ringing since the summertime. People want to know if there is still time to reserve a heritage turkey for a Thanksgiving meal. These heritage turkeys take eight months to develop while a typical commercial turkey has a life span of approximately three months. One more tradition is grand ceremony of pardoning the turkeys. More than fifty years ago, the tradition was started by Harry Truman. According to this tradition, at least one turkey should be present on the feast table. In the form of half-joking - half serious recognition of role of turkey and also role of mercy, on the eve of holiday, the American president declares pardoning of specific turkey, which is shown on TV along with President in the lawns of White House. President reads out the proclamation and carefully pats the alarmed bird. Later on, the turkey lives rest of the life in a zoo park. Parades are organized on Thanksgiving Day. The first parade took place in 1924 along West Side of Central Park and since then, the parade is held annually every Thanksgiving Day from the upper West Side of Manhattan to Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square and the parade is sponsored by trading giant “Macy”. Generally the Christmas shopping season in the USA traditionally begins the day after Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday”, and the shopkeepers hang red placards “SALE” and shopping becomes febrile. A procession is taken out on autumn streets, large hot air-blown balloons of Snoopy dog, Garfield cat, Piggy and other famous personalities of American history decorate the sky above procession against the European carnivals with toys of medieval personalities. Once, huge Cat In the Hat escaped from the hands of leaders due to winds, hit a lamppost and the falling debris struck the head on one parade-goer out of two million participants. Ill-fate lady Catlin Corona lodged a complaint against the city, on the manufacturers of lamppost, Macy and Cat and demanded a compensation of $ 395 million.
Domestic turkeys are distinguished from their wild family members by large size and weight. Turkeys are the largest domestic birds, which are raised for meat purposes. Adult turkey cocks weigh 12 - 16 k and the largest turkeys weigh up to 20 kg and turkey hens weigh 7 - 9 kg. The egg laying capability is attained at the age of 10 - 11 months, usually during the January - March period. Egg laying rate quickly grows and after 21/2 - 3 months, it gradually decreases and during the moult period, which occurs at any time of the year, the egg laying capability stops. Turkeys lay around 90 eggs in a year with a maximum of up to 150. The weight of the egg is 80 - 88 gm. The incubation period is 28 days and the regime is similar to the incubation period of chickens. By autumn, it is possible to have around 40-60 young birds from each turkey hen and can have around 160 - 200 kg meat after fattening the turkey for 3 - 4 months. The meat yield from fattened turkeys is 85 - 90%. Breeding turkeys are used till they are 3 years of age.
The turkey's meat is a dietary product, which is distinguished with high taste qualities and good absorbency. The muscular tissues constitute around 50% of the carcass weight.
It is possible to rear turkeys in an individual farm. Their meat has the same nutritional properties as in the case of the meat of a chicken, and since the turkey meat does not contain fat, it is easily absorbed by the human body. A turkey breast (white meat) is even more nutritious than the same part of the chicken. Turkeys repay the raising costs, in good conditions, males gain a weight of up to 10-13 kg but sometimes weigh up to 18 - 25 kg. The weight of turkey hens is less, around 6-7 kg and the young 4 month bird is - 4-4.5 kg. Turkeys are the largest agricultural bird and are raised for meat, egg laying capability is less - 50 - 100 eggs per year. Most popular turkey birds are: Broad Breasted Bronze and the Caucasian white turkey.
Obtaining offspring and raising it: Raising a turkey is not so simple. Turkey poults are squeamish, should be protected from dampness, cold and often fall sick due to this. But, the mother instinct of laying and hatching eggs is highly developed in turkey hens. Not only turkey hens but turkey cocks also participate in incubation (in some cases). Turkeys are so diligent in the nest, which readily incubates not only their own chicks but also those of chickens and geese, if none can be found to fulfil this role in the poultry yard with chickens and geese of modern breeds.
In short, the turkey is a good meat bird but requires greater attention, especially, at an early age. In order to successfully raise young turkey birds and obtain more meat from them, then it necessary to properly rear and feed the turkeys and take good care of them. |
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