Transcript The Thanksgiving Turkey

The Thanksgiving Turkey
Or how mass production nearly made
turkeys extinct
The Wild Turkey
Turkey Today
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99% of all turkeys in the world are factoryfarmed Broad Breasted Whites
Disproportionately large breast makes walking
difficult and mating impossible
In 1997 the US Turkey Census found only
1,300 heritage-type turkeys
Through directed efforts, that number
increased to 8,000 by the year 2000.
Heritage Turkeys
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Selected from the wild by early settlers
Directly related to our wild turkeys
Still carry all “wild turkey” genes
Naturally mating, slower growing, more
flavorful
Heritage breeds are still able to fly
Can be raised on pasture to forage for
themselves
Bronze
Farming
Factory—Large White
Factory—Large White
Artificial Insemination
Heritage Genetics
Spanish Black
Blue Slate
BBDDRR
BBddRR
Homozygous Dominant Black base
Homozygous Dominant Black base
Homozygous dominant slate
Homozygous recessive slate
Homozygous dominant red
Homozygous dominant red
Heritage Genetics
Bronze
Bourbon Red
bbRRDD or bbRRDd
bbrrDD
Homozygous recessive bronze base
Homozygous recessive bronze base
Homozygous dominant red
Homozygous recessive red
Homozygous dominant slate or
Homozygous dominant slate
Heterozygous slate
Heritage Genetics—Lilac
bbRRdd
Homozygous recessive bronze base
Homozygous dominant red
Homozygous recessive slate