Turkey breeds/genetics

[R2elk]

I'm actually not picky. I'd like something that can live for quite a few years and not exceed about 20 lbs. Doesn't have to be show quality or anything, I just don't know where to start looking.

Check local sources. Your desire to have a turkey that doesn't exceed 20 lbs. needs to be clarified as to whether this is a live weight or a processed weight. Any of the heritage varieties will have males that dress out around 20 lbs.

All of the hens of heritage varieties will be under 20 lbs.

 

[fat brown hen]

Check local sources. Your desire to have a turkey that doesn't exceed 20 lbs. needs to be clarified as to whether this is a live weight or a processed weight. Any of the heritage varieties will have males that dress out around 20 lbs.

All of the hens of heritage varieties will be under 20 lbs.

~20 lbs live weight. Basically the size/weight of a wild turkey, which I am familiar with dressing out and is about as big of a bird as I'd want to process at one time.

(Speaking of which, is wild turkey a variety, or a breed? )

 

[fat brown hen]

All domestic turkeys are the same breed Turkey. They are different varieties.

This is an error on their part because the title and thinking that they are separate breeds is wrong. The APA lists one breed for domestic turkeys and that breed is Turkey.

The different varieties can have different characteristics. The broad breasted varieties obviously are a much larger variety than are the heritage turkeys.

Whew, thank you for clarifying that. I was confused because I thought "variety" meant color.

 

[R2elk]

~20 lbs live weight. Basically the size/weight of a wild turkey, which I am familiar with dressing out and is about as big of a bird as I'd want to process at one time.

(Speaking of which, is wild turkey a variety, or a breed? )

Wild turkeys are also varieties other than the Ocellated turkey which is a different species.

I have seen wild turkeys which are every bit as big as the bigger heritage varieties.

Whew, thank you for clarifying that. I was confused because I thought "variety" meant color.

No, the APA has left open the possibility of adding Color as a subdivision of Variety but it has not been added at this time.

 

[fat brown hen]

I have seen wild turkeys which are every bit as big as the bigger heritage varieties.

I honestly have no idea how big heritage turkeys get. I'm just going off the fact that 33 lbs sounds like a lot more than 20 lbs, and I have never harvested anything larger than 20 lbs.

 

[Amer]

I disagree with Bob.
Breed: "a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection."
Wild turkeys are not defined within a breed since they are not developed through deliberate selection. No more than Occelated turkeys are a breed. No more than wolves are a breed of dog.
Also, the American Poultry Association has never defined Broad Breasted White or Broad Breasted Bronze as the same breed as the turkey varieties they recognize in their American Standard of Perfection. Breeds are typically defined by their Standard, and the turkey industries have separate standards by which they select their breeding stock.
Also, to note, The American Poultry Association and the British and Australian poultry associations are alone in the world in defining heritage turkeys by "variety" rather than breed. For example, Black Gers and Bourbonnais turkeys are both black French turkeys but distinguished as breeds.
I am not saying that heritage turkeys in the USA are not the same breed. I may say that I disagree with the American Poultry Association's defining it so despite the different sizes that the varieties had, but they don't follow their usual definition of breed (which means each has a distinct Standard) so I accept the term variety. They had only "breed" or "variety" to choose from, and neither quite defined the turkeys they accepted. I am a loyal member of the American Poultry Association so I will say "variety" despite my misgivings. And I will say there is only one breed of turkey accepted by the APA.
But to say that all turkeys within the species of turkey are the same breed is simply not true.

 

[R2elk]

I honestly have no idea how big heritage turkeys get. I'm just going off the fact that 33 lbs sounds like a lot more than 20 lbs, and I have never harvested anything larger than 20 lbs.

A 33 lb. bird will dress out about 22 lbs. A 6 month old heritage tom may get to 18 lbs. live weight and dress out around 12 lbs. if one of the larger varieties.

 

[R2elk]

But to say that all turkeys within the species of turkey are the same breed is simply not true.

It is true and is based on more than the APA designation. The term breed is so misused that it no longer has a specific definition.

Turkeys are all derived from the same haploid group. All turkeys other than the Ocellated turkey are the genus species Meleagris gallopavo.

An example of breed being the wrong term to use to separate the different varieties is that if you breed a Sweetgrass tom to a Royal Palm hen, all of the offspring will be Sweetgrass turkeys. They won't be a Royal Palm / Sweetgrass hybrid, they will be Sweetgrass.

 

[fat brown hen]

An example of breed being the wrong term to use to separate the different varieties is that if you breed a Sweetgrass tom to a Royal Palm hen, all of the offspring will be Sweetgrass turkeys. They won't be a Royal Palm / Sweetgrass hybrid, they will be Sweetgrass.

This is the part has me confused! The Royal Palm/Sweetgrass cross will presumably be the average of the parents in terms of size and shape, but it's still considered Sweetgrass?! Does that mean Sweetgrass is just a color, with no consideration for size or shape?

 

[fat brown hen]

I disagree with Bob.
Breed: "a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection."
Wild turkeys are not defined within a breed since they are not developed through deliberate selection. No more than Occelated turkeys are a breed. No more than wolves are a breed of dog.

This inconsistency has always annoyed me. It makes no sense that dogs, wolves, and dingoes are considered distinct species when they can readily interbreed.