How much fat should be on a turkey?

[chickenannie]

Hmmm, the inactivity theory is interesting... I've always let my turkeys freely range over the acreage here, and this is the first year I've used the movable fence system. I hadn't thought about it before, but you're right, that my birds wouldn't have been getting nearly the same amount of excercise as they used to since they only have so many hundred square feet now to range versus acres and acres. Can anyone else verify or dispute this theory? How active/nonactive are your heritage turkeys and did they have a lot of fat on them? (not asking about BBWs here, just heritage breeds). Thanks!

 

[Lagerdogger]

We butchered 12 (all heritage), and sent an evaluation form home with everyone who got a turkey. I noticed a little fat on a Royal Palm that we ate, but hardly any on a st bronze. I have about 4 other evaluartions back so far. One person complained about the fat on a Narragansett. My guess is that she was a little more sensitive to fat, but I didn't see under the skin personally. Several of our birds had fat around the neck area, but thet were not fatty around the organs. I did notice that when the fat cooled on the leftovers, it was quite tasty...yum

 

[longranger]

My birds at 7 months usually have a good ammount of fat in the skin of the neck, back and upper chest. Suspect it is just from having high protein(28%) feed available at all times. I smoke most of them so the extra fat helps keep em nice and moist as it slowly melts away. Do not mind at all. The fat accumulation is much more pronounced in the toms than the hens so for roasting I use hens.

The pens have a good amount of space for exercise so it is not from being sedentary.