broad breasted white turkey life expectancy

adElem.style.zIndex = ''; How to start Broad Breasted White turkey farming business? Broad-Breasted White and other large breed turkeys (referred to as "Industry" or "Commercial Turkeys" by the meat industry) have been selectively bred by humans exclusively for the purpose of increasing both their body mass and growth rates to make them more efficient to raise and slaughter in vast numbers while increasing overall profitability Conditions on the truck are even worse than on the farm. Heritage breed turkeys, like their wild relatives, have a natural tendency to cover large areas when foraging. Some examples of heritage birds include Standard Bronze, Royal Palm, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Auburn, and Black. This is because a broad-breasted that is allowed to grow to maturity can dress out at over fifty pounds. MIDGET WHITE. There is a second type of this breed which is known as broad breasted bronze turkey or heritage turkey. The speed range of a broad-breasted white turkey is between 25-55 mph (40.2-88.5 kph). Is Broad Breasted White turkey farming profitable? Breeders also give them infrared heaters in the initial days. This breed, developed in the 1960s is a cross between the Royal Palm and the Broad Breasted Whites. Turkeys may start out antibiotic-free, but farmers may medicate an entire flock if a few birds get sick. Usually the turkey to receive a "presidential pardon", a U.S. custom, is a Broad Breasted White. Its Safe & Best 27 Tips, Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Toms weighs 36 pounds while the hens weigh about 20 pounds. Large operations can load up to 1,500 turkeys per hour into the truck, and many birds break their wings or suffer from internal hemorrhaging in the loading process. Proper care and management can help prevent these issues. I weighed our girl that we have left and she's about 23 pounds right now and 10 months old. That means packing fewer birds into a larger area, resulting in less profit per acre. Good ventilation is crucial for keeping turkeys healthy, as it helps to remove moisture, ammonia, and other pollutants from the air. These birds demonstrate their masculine features as a sign of dominance and as a way of wooing females. White turkeys also need fresh and clean water to drink. They can contract many diseases such as blackhead, avian influenza, aspergillosis, and coryza. White turkeys are good birds. Ollie, originally from the USA, holds his master's degree in wildlife biology and moved to Australia to pursue his career and passion but has found a new love for working online and writing about animals of all types. Denying them a nesting area will encourage them to nest in the bushes. Today these birds are highly popular throughout the world and they are excellent for meat production. First, turkey poults of one to seven days are placed into diminutive round brooding pens of about 8 ft (2.5 m) to ensure that they have the proper amount of food and water. These birds eat together, sleep together, and roam together. Look for birds that are free of defects, have good muscle tone, and are a good weight for their age and breed. Your white turkeys need to have a good coop. Here are some key things to keep in mind: Turkeys need plenty of space to move around and stretch their wings. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. In contrast, broad-breasted bronze has a much higher weight than white turkey. But most Americans will be sticking to the easy-to-find broad-breasted white. Eschewing all antibiotics means suffering of the animal, spread of disease, and euthanasia of sick animals before the other livestock can contract the illness. Average live body weight of the mature Broad Breasted White turkey is between 17 and 20 kg. adElem.style.top = ''; If you plan to breed your turkeys, youll need to provide nesting areas for the hens to lay their eggs. In some areas, the broad-breasted white turkeys are sold based on their weight. They weigh much like a heavy chicken with toms weighing 16 to 20 pounds and hens 8 to 12 pounds. The Bronze, White Holland, and Black varieties, the wild turkey, and White Austrian turkeys imported from Scotland were first used in the development of this small-type turkey. Male turkeys have an unusual cap-like crown that extends during the breeding season. Can Broad Breasted White turkeys breed naturally? Later, in 1943, Broad Breasted Bronze blood was introduced. Yes, sure! A 0.5-acre area is enough for a dozen turkeys in a fenced-in region. It is very easy for poults to feed on them. Broad Breasted White turkeys are a large breed, with mature toms weighing up to 30 pounds and mature hens weighing up to 20 pounds. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function () { viAPItag.display("vi_1472596215") }),
Despite its popularity, the breed is also known for its susceptibility to health issues due to its large size, and requires careful care and management to stay healthy and productive. It is costlier than the white breed because of the quality of the meat. adElem.style.visibility = 'visible'; This commercial strain (a cross of two breeds, but not technically a breed in its own right) represents some 99 . Although these birds will live for just a few months because they will be butchered for meat. The weight range of a broad-breasted white turkey is 29.7-86 lb (13.5-39 kg). We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. At this time these birds can weigh 13kgs. Because they havent been bred with the focus of producing a lot of meat within a short period of time, they grow slower and therefore can live for years without health problems. The Bronze was officially recognized as a breed in 1874. Farmers have stories of toms that fluff and strut when human women walk past the coop or of hens that follow their humans around during mating season. Select the right breed for your business. These birds will add color and also entertain you in various ways. This means that the meat can be difficult to get hold of for consumers, but it also means that farmers can get a good price for good-quality Bronze Turkey meat. It can run quickly, however, and does require plenty of space to roam around. Originally published in 2015 and regularly vetted for accuracy. The farm raises approximately 20,000 broad-breasted white turkeys . They are prone to heart disease, respiratory failure and joint damage. adElem.style.zIndex = '21'; Broad Breasted hens lay eggs that have a high hatchability making them so pricy and using such eggs for food. While broad-breasted white turkeys are bred for their ability to mature quickly, heritage turkeys are allowed to take their time -- the development of healthy skeletons, organs and muscles can take up to 28 weeks [source: American Livestock Breeds Conservancy ]. Provide plenty of clean bedding, heat lamps or other heat sources, and a consistent supply of food and water. At the same time, it banned hormone use for poultry and pork. You can also supplement their diet with insects, worms, and other protein-rich treats. These birds have shorter breast bones and larger breasts, sometimes rendering them unable to breed without human assistance (typically via artificial insemination). adElemSticky.innerHTML = ''; This will protect them from harsh weather and keep them from turkey predators like wild dogs which hunt them for food. Broad Breasted White turkeys have white feathers, a pinkish-white head and neck, and a bright red wattle and snood. The Bronze Turkey can grow to 4 feet tall and have a 6-foot wingspan. The breed is very good for producing breast meat. They want birds that have been raised naturally and humanely. With a little education, you will realize that labels such as heritage or raised without antibiotics mean much more than one based on a widely accepted lie. But avoiding antibiotics in your familys meat may be worth the added price. Milder turkey meat tends to be more popular but fetches a lower price than gamey, heritage meat. The optimum temperatures for hens and toms are between 64 and 70 F (18 and 21 C). Size and Weight. Another thing you can do is to use plastic chick feeders with oval-shaped openings to feed these birds. Keep detailed records of their feed and water intake, growth rate, and any health issues that arise. Your email address will not be published. var adElemSticky = document.getElementById('vi-sticky-ad'); The Standard Bronze Turkey is considered a heritage breed and these, in turn, are very well domesticated. It is a large bird that requires a bigger area to live. Use the search! The name of this new North American breed then became turkey fowl, which was soon shortened to turkey. It became a hot sensation in Europe because of its epic taste. The breed declined after the commercial adoption of the Broad Breasted White, like most other turkey breeds. Although hens produce high-quality eggs, theyre usually not for sale to the public. Most white turkeys are calm, friendly and social meaning they will not harm your kids. These birds are raised for meat and have large breasts which are easily bruised by roost bars. It is arduous to housetrain these turkeys and they do produce a large amount of poop. The development or growth rate was 0.55% per year. Search our database of over 13528 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed and have more breast meat that accounts for about 70% of their weight. The now-ubiquitous Broad Breasted White can weigh 38 pounds at just 18 weeks old. Oliver (Ollie) Jones - A zoologist and freelance writer living in South Australia with his partner Alex, their dog Pepper, and their cat Steve (who declined to be pictured). The Broad Breasted White turkeys are large sized birds and they have been bred for providing a meaty carcass with more breast meat than any other turkey breeds. In 1997,The Livestock Conservancy considered heritage turkeys the most critically endangered of all domestic animals, finding fewer than 1,500 total breeding birds in the United States. They keep these young poults under persistent light for the first 48 hours to motivate them to eat. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. They grow fast and have lots of meat on their chest (hence the name, broad breasted!). Proper feeding is essential for the health and growth of these birds, as it can provide them with the nutrients they need to thrive and produce high-quality meat. And they can not breed easily mainly because of the bulf of their hefty breasts. These birds are social and will require good gifts and treats to make them happy. Copyright 2023 It's Poultry - All Rights Reserved. You are using an out of date browser. The size of broad-breasted white turkeys ranges between 39.5-49.2 in (100.5-125 cm) in length and weighs around 29.7-86 lb (13.5-39 kg). It may not display this or other websites correctly. Broad breasted turkeys are huge, fast growing meat turkeys. What are the characteristics of Broad Breasted White Turkeys? The perfect temperature is important because, in a high-temperature environment, the metabolic rate of broad-breasted whites will become high which may make them susceptible to heat stress. Organic turkey farms use neither antibiotics nor feed that has not been certified organic. Dindon rouge des Ardennes Turkey Characteristics, Start Slate Turkey Farming Business For High Profits, Turkey Feathers Colors Of Different Turkey Breeds, Start Profitable Black Turkey Farming Business, Turkey Breeds: Top 10 Breeds for High Profit, Turkey Diseases And Problems You Should Know, Can Dogs Eat Peanuts? This breed is not known for its natural reproductive ability, and artificial insemination is often used to produce fertile eggs.