| Fattening Turkeys:
In private poultry farms, the sorting of turkeys is done during autumn: some turkeys are kept for breeding while some turkeys are selected for fattening by natural and artificial (forcible) methods. In the first method (natural), the birds are kept in a special bird house and fed with a nutritious and tender variety of food till the day of slaughter: boiled and grated potatoes, mixed with oats, buckwheat or barley flour and wheat grains. In the second fattening method, the turkeys are kept in special cubicles with a meshed bottom in the rear portion and they feed the birds for some time as usual and then forcibly. For forcible feeding, thumb sized pellets are prepared from wheat or barley dough and the pellets are wetted with lukewarm water or skim milk and 5 - 6 pieces of pellets three times a day are forcibly put into the bird's throat using fingers. In order to lend a special flavor to the fattening turkey's meat, mashed acorns or chestnuts, mixed with flour is added to the regular diet or the turkeys are given walnuts, gradually increasing their number to 12 pieces, after which the quantity of walnut feed is decreased in the same order. In forced fattening methods, an apparatus can be used, which is specially designed and proposed for this purpose while certainly observing the general rule:
a) consistency in food portions - at first, increase of the food intake and then decrease and b) slaughter the birds, in which difficulty in breathing is observed due to obesity. Fattening duration: 21-40 days. The described formula was especially widely used in the past, slaughter was carried out in November and turkeys, intended for long distance transportation, were frozen.
In modern turkey production, hybrid turkeys, obtained from cross breeding 2 - 4 compatible lines, more often of the same breed (light hens with high egg-laying capability and heavy cocks), are raised for meat. Mixed fodder, required for 1kg growth of turkey - 2.5-3.5 kg. Meat output - 80-90%, yield of edible parts – up to 70%, including the breast part (the so-called white meat) - 25 - 30%.
People and domesticated turkeys:
Turkey meat is considered to be dietary and the meat is distinguished by a high taste quality and contains a large quantity of digestible protein (28%).
Presently, turkeys are bred extensively by industrial methods in several countries, this is second after the broiler sector in the bird meat production industry. The USA is the leader in turkey farming and the production of turkey meat.
Apart from meat, turkeys give valuable fur and feathers. Earlier, the white feathers of the turkeys were bought by manufacturers for marabou , which is released from the feathers and used in ladies toilets. Very beautiful flower garlands were also made from the feathers of turkeys.
Turkey excrements (up to 12 kg per annum per bird) serve as good fertilizer.
Turkeys get accustomed to human beings and are very dedicated to those who care for them.
Turkey – the meat of turkey, which is used in food.
Turkeys originated from the Western Hemisphere, where they are the only domesticated birds of the Aztecs. Presently, turkeys have a fairly wide economic importance for humans, mainly as a source of protein. Turkeys, produced in United States, have high meat quality. In Russia, turkeys have lesser economic importance owing to their heat loving nature.
The meat of the turkey, as rabbit meat, is low in calories and contains less fats but is less smooth fibered with respect to structure. Many turkey meat preparation methods exist.
The meat of wild turkeys, which are widespread, for instance, in the U.S, is used as game.
It is widely found in South Eastern USA and in Mexico. Ocellated turkeys (A. ocellatus) inhabit Central America. Turkeys feed on vegetable and animal food. The turkey is also a hunting object. |
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Statistics show that the United States produces about 270 million turkeys a year, 30% of these turkeys are consumed by Americans during Thanksgiving. Turkeys have a sharp 270 degree vision, and are quite "sporty" birds - they run up to 20 miles per hour and fly up to 55 miles per hour. Turkeys are related to pheasants.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a turkey, instead of the bald eagle.
