Ethnicity

[thaiturkey]

How important is it to keep bloodlines pure? Generally, it doesn't seem important in this part of the world but I get the impression that it might be in the West. Is it an issue only for speciality breeders or is it also important for breeders of turkeys for food?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

It really depends on your breeding goals. If you just want colorful eye candy then it doesn't really mater. If you are raising them for meat you would want to breed for size, grow out time etc. If you look at the meat birds of the past, the Beltsville Small White for example and if my memory is correct they used 5 or 6 varieties to develop them. If you are looking to preserve them then you would want keep them pure.

Steve

 

[thaiturkey]

Thank, Steve.

Our goals are becoming confused. The plan was to produce meat and to do better than other breeders by taking very good care of the birds. They grow on you, though, don't they? My wife won't kill animals so that part of the process was always going to be a problem. Now we have agreed that the ones we have will not be slaughtered but their offspring will. So, for us it's a mix of pets and, if we are lucky, some business.

Another issue is that you can't be sure of the purity of bloodlines here. The bronzes look pure enough but I'm not so sure about the others. So, I guess in our situation that there's no point in us getting too hung up on it. There must be a lot of pleasure to be gained from breeding pure stock as pets or to preserve a rare line for posterity.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Yes they do grow on you. I think in your case careful breeding and selection will make you stand out among other breeders. If yours are bigger or more healthy or grow out quicker then that is all a big plus for you.

Steve

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Good point, Steve. Thanks.

We seem to be getting a few things right. When the vet called to tend the dog bites the other days he commented that not only was he surprised that our original five had survived the earlier mosquito bite infections but they were bigger than he would have expected them to be. I have yet to visit a big breeder to pick up tips but we allow the birds to free range and give them the best feed we can get - corn and soya ground and mixed, fried rice occasionally and ants eggs when we can get them. The two recent additions were well cared for by the breeder so we have high hopes for their offspring.

We shall soon have to make more accommodation and that would be the time to begin to create separate breeding groups, perhaps.