Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Fentress]

Thanks

 

[3riverschick]

Questions for the veteran breeders:

The Feathered World Year Book and Poultry Keepers' ... 1917.
Sussex by Clem Watson
Page 166
One special feature of the show was the table section which
naturally was for Sussex birds. The size clearly demonstrated
what can be done with the breed, and showed how much meat
could be put on the breast. Length of body is a great point, and
absence of offal is considered another feature when the size and
weight are taken into consideration. The white flesh and leg are
appreciated by all the best poulterers, and this alone has made a
name for the Sussex breed.
-----
I don't get the absence of offal thing. I mean a bird has to have some intestines. Does this have to do with a bird that "knows it has a liver", having a big fatty liver which leaves less room for the reproductive system which means less egg production?
Thanks for enlightening,
Karen

 

[thedragonlady]

Questions for the veteran breeders:

The Feathered World Year Book and Poultry Keepers' ... 1917.
Sussex by Clem Watson
Page 166
One special feature of the show was the table section which
naturally was for Sussex birds. The size clearly demonstrated
what can be done with the breed, and showed how much meat
could be put on the breast. Length of body is a great point, and
absence of offal is considered another feature when the size and
weight are taken into consideration. The white flesh and leg are
appreciated by all the best poulterers, and this alone has made a
name for the Sussex breed.
-----
I don't get the absence of offal thing. I mean a bird has to have some intestines. Does this have to do with a bird that "knows it has a liver", having a big fatty liver which leaves less room for the reproductive system which means less egg production?
Thanks for enlightening,
Karen

All LF have about the same size innards. He is talking about a heavily fleshed carcass, in contrast to a less meaty bird. To give an example...there is no point in buying a scrawny turkey weighing 14 lbs. when you can buy a bigger bird. At butchering age, they will all have about the same guts to contend with, and bone. You get more meat, and the same amount of bone, and guts when you buy the heavier bird.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: -------------------------------------
Then why doesn't he address the meatiness of the bird, rather than the lack of offal? Regardless of the amount of meat on the bird, if it has the same amount of offal overall LF, why does he think "small amount of offal" worthy of mention? I have seen this "small amount of offal" mentioned by several Sussex experts.
Thanks,
Karen

 

[ronott1]

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Then why doesn't he address the meatiness of the bird, rather than the lack of offal? Regardless of the amount of meat on the bird, if it has the same amount of offal overall LF, why does he think "small amount of offal" worthy of mention? I have seen this "small amount of offal" mentioned by several Sussex experts.
Thanks,
Karen

Language and ways of expressing thoughts and ideas is constantly evolving. Imagine trying to communicate with someone from 200 years ago. 100 year old books are hard enough to understand.

We lack cultural reference too.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Point well taken. It's like sieving sauces to try and figure out what it pertinent. I sure wish a modern expert would write a book on the breed. Like Judge Overton or Tony Albritton or Sandra Ross. I know the guy in Aussieland wrote one but in some ways they breed Sussex differently than we do and use some different genes, so we end up sieving the info once again.
Sigh,
Karen

 

[ronott1]

Point well taken. It's like sieving sauces to try and figure out what it pertinent. I sure wish a modern expert would write a book on the breed. Like Judge Overton or Tony Albritton or Sandra Ross. I know the guy in Aussieland wrote one but in some ways they breed Sussex differently than we do and use some different genes, so we end up sieving the info once again.
Sigh,
Karen

It won't be too much longer and I expect you can write a modern book.

 

[thedragonlady]

-------------------------------------
Then why doesn't he address the meatiness of the bird, rather than the lack of offal? Regardless of the amount of meat on the bird, if it has the same amount of offal overall LF, why does he think "small amount of offal" worthy of mention? I have seen this "small amount of offal" mentioned by several Sussex experts.
Thanks,
Karen

He qualifies it by saying when size and weight are taken taken into consideration. H just wanted a chubby chicken who knew it had a liver.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: I have never been able to find more than illusions to this definition of "knew it had a liver". Does it mean the bird eats more than it needs to for the amount of eggs it produces?
Thanks,
Karen

 

[RiddleMe]

-------------------------------------
Then why doesn't he address the meatiness of the bird, rather than the lack of offal? Regardless of the amount of meat on the bird, if it has the same amount of offal overall LF, why does he think "small amount of offal"  worthy of mention? I have seen this "small amount of offal" mentioned by several Sussex experts.
 Thanks,
 Karen

He qualifies it by saying when size and weight are taken taken into consideration. H just wanted a chubby chicken who knew it had a liver.

Offal can also refer to any waste/by-products in the butchering process so this may have been their way of describing excess fat deposits under the skin or in other locations...