Why Mix the breeds

[jrsqlc]

I just wonder why alot of poeple mix breed their turkeys?
I am against it, but see alot of folks do mix them, is there a reason?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The one I hear the most is "I like the colors". Like you I don't mix and match, I have always been involved and keeping and preserving them as they were originaly bred.

Steve

 

[MovieFanz]

Quote:
Why are you against it?

 

[jrsqlc]

Quote:
Why are you against it?

Quote:
Couldnt have said it better myself!!

I cant remember ever seeing a very nice looking mix breed turk! Now mutations created on there own from genes is OK, but not mixing.

 

[MovieFanz]

Are you talking about the mixing the chocolate gene pool? http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/ChocPresJohnsonSept02.html

 

[MovieFanz]

Quote:
Steve if you where trying to preserve a breed why didn't you leave them the original size?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Steve if you where trying to preserve a breed why didn't you leave them the original size?

Which variety would that be on the size? I raise to APA standards

Steve

 

[Olive Hill]

There are many reasons. Some more virtuous than others.

- Laziness -- Some people simply don't think about what they're getting themselves into when they get "into" several breeds at once or shortly one after another. When the time comes to maintain several pens, manage matings to produce the best crosses within breeds, etc. they don't want to put in the work it takes.

- Overcrowding / Inadequate Facilities -- Some people want more turkeys than they should realistically be keeping with the facilities and resources they have available. They can't, with what they have, separate the birds so they just leave them together.

- Resulting Birds Aren't Expected to Contribute to Future Gene Pools -- Some people enjoy keeping several breeds of heritage birds, but slaughter all offspring. In this case the offspring are never expected to contribute to future matings so it "doesn't matter" if they're crosses. In theory it's not so bad, but people don't always follow through with even their best intentions sothe crosses can end up breeding animals despite it all.

- Experimentation / Curiosity -- People like to see what they'll get if they cross various breeds. Some may be trying to "create" a new breed with select traits from two or three others.

- Hybrid Vigor -- Again, when the offspring are intended for slaughter some may try to get a slight edge in grow out periods, FCR, etc by crossing in hopes the resulting offspring will exhibit hybrid vigor.

- Novelty -- To me the real novelty is in a really nice purebred Tom; straight, strong legs, striking color, substantial size, calm demeanor... these are the things that make me ohh and ahh. But some people, like Steve pointed out, think odd colors that can come from crosses are novelties. Some even use -- or try to use -- the concept of these being "rare" colors as a get-rich-quick-scheme.

 

[mypicklebird]

I think many people buy some poults, end up with a mixed bag of heritage breeds- keep a few birds to adult hood- end up with some fertile eggs or a broody hen- and end up getting some poults which are mixed. So more out of non-management or under-management, than a desire to actually create mix turkeys. To get pure breeds one must either pen up the birds, or only have one breed. If one has a couple of heritage birds of various type free ranging around the farm- and is into self sufficiency- they will likely end up mixes. I was given a selection of heritage birds- and am in this quandary myself. I would like to hatch out some eggs for birds for table use later, but the turkeys are free range with the chicken flock-- and though I would like to keep pure heritage birds, I don't have the set up. I actually would fall into the lazy group- I could build pens, but I don't want to. I like seeing them free ranging all over the place. So I can raise home grown mutts or buy more poults....

 

[Tunastopper]

I follow the history of many breeds. Most every breed came from a cross not pure stock. Midget white for example where bred from a cross of a Broad Breasted White and a Royal Palm. From the mid ’70s on, selection pressure was maintained to fix tom body weight to about 13 pounds and hens at about 8 pounds. See page 2 in the link below. There is no APA standards for midget whites. All we have is the history and what they where meant to be. If your intentions are to preserve the bred, the size should also be preserved. Without it they would not be midget whites, even if they are bred pure. Selection should be for small size. They are not Beltsville white turkeys.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sust...Midget-White-Turkey.aspx?page=2#ixzz18QRUfvoy