The origin of the turkey. Turkey (bird): photo

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Turkeys in private backyards are bred less often than chickens and ducks. However, they are currently quite a popular bird. Of course, many summer residents are concerned about the question of how the turkey was domesticated, as well as about its currently available varieties. There are actually many breeds of this bird.

Origin of Turkey

The progenitors of these modern poultry were wild individuals living in Africa, Mexico and North America. Most of them are very large turkeys with long legs, short wings and tail. They were named so for the same reason as the American Indians. Even in our time, wild individuals are considered a game bird and are hunted for tasty meat. Initially, these birds were brought to Spain (in 1519) from America. Therefore, very often they are also called "Spanish chickens".

Ancient Turkeys

Thus, the American and African origin of the turkey is beyond doubt. But when were these birds first tamed? Recently, scientists from the United States and Canada conducted a study of the DNA of turkey bones found onthe site of archaeological excavations starting from 2 thousand BC. e. and ending with the 18th century. As a result, it was revealed that for the first time they were domesticated as early as 800-100 years. BC e. The bones of these birds are found on the territory of ancient settlements in Mexico and Nicaragua. Scientists also concluded that many of their breeds were bred in Central and South America independently of each other.

Wild Turkeys Description

The progenitors of this poultry lay about 20 eggs each, and they do it right on the ground. An interesting feature of such a bird as a wild turkey (photo below) is the fact that males sometimes adjoin a herd of domestic individuals. In this case, very viable and hardy offspring are obtained.

So, we have found out the origin of the turkey. Next, consider what features characterize the most popular varieties of these poultry.

White Broad Breasted

This type of turkey originated in the USA in the 60s. White Dutch and bronze broad-breasted were used as initial breeds. These turkeys were brought to our country in 1970 from the English farm "River Rest". Based on the white broad-chested, three crosses were obtained - medium, light and heavy. The latter already at the age of 13 weeks can weigh about 5.2 kg. The average body weight reaches 4.1 kg, and the lung up to 3.5 kg. Adult heavy cross country turkeys can weigh 20-25 kg, turkeys - 11 kg. The average has 15-17 kg and 6-7 kg, respectively, the lung has 9 kg and 5.5 kg. From one turkey you can get 80-90 pieces peryear.

Cross big-6

This is one of the most popular breeds at the moment. Its main advantages are precocity, high weight and very good reproduction ability. Big-6 (turkey) - a bird bred on farms in England. Males of this cross can gain weight up to 22-25 kg, and females up to 11 kg. Both of them are white with a black tuft on the chest. A distinctive feature of this breed is that thirty percent of the weight of the carcass of birds falls on the breast. Turkeys stop growing at the age of 90-100 days. By this time, they are already completely ready for slaughter.

Breed station wagon

These birds are well muscled and have white plumage. Adult turkeys weigh 6.5 kg, and females 4.76 kg. One laying hen can sit and feed up to 61 turkeys. The station wagon won popularity among farmers not because it quickly gains weight - it does it more slowly than many other crosses - but because it does not require artificial insemination to hatch chicks. Cross is a two-line, obtained by crossing U2 males with U1 females. It was bred by the North Caucasian ZOSP.

Bronze Busty

Turkey chickens of this breed are popular primarily due to their large weight. In males, it can reach 15-18 kg, in females 10-11 kg. There are cases when the weight of birds of this breed reached 30 kg. However, not everyone will be able to grow such a turkey, of course. To achieve such a result, you need to spend just a huge amount of feed.

Another qualitymaking such a bird as a bronze broad-breasted turkey (photo below), popular with farmers, is high egg production - up to 120 pcs. in year. Of these, more than 80% of the eggs are fertilized. At the same time, the yield of pups during incubation is 70-75%. Turkeys of this breed are distinguished by simply wonderful maternal qualities. Sometimes they even put chicken, goose or duck eggs under them.

What is the origin of the turkey of this remarkable breed? They brought out a bronze broad-breasted in America. The parent breeds were black English and American turkeys.

Moscow White

This is a Russian turkey, a bird bred by the Beryozki state farm of the Moscow Region by crossing Dutch, Moscow bronze and local white turkeys. Its main advantages are high egg production, tasty meat and a neat presentation of the carcass. The mass of males can reach 12.5 kg, females - 7 kg. So far, this breed is not very common in our country and is used mainly as a gene pool when creating high-performance crosses.

North Caucasian breed

There are only three directions of this breed - silver, bronze and white. The first one has the highest weight. Silver North Caucasian males can increase body weight up to 15 kg, turkeys - up to 7 kg. White birds reach a weight of 12 and 7 kg, respectively, and bronze - 14 and 8 kg.

Tikhoretskaya black

This variety was bred in the Krasnodar Territory bylong-term selection of local black turkeys. It was first described in 1958. The plumage of turkeys is black, and the physique is strong. These are very active birds, in addition to pasture breeding, adapted to cage rearing.

Virginia

These turkeys were bred in Holland in the 18th century. Even then they were valued for tasty meat and high egg production. The improvement of the qualities of the breed occurred through selection by weight and broad chest. Crossings were also carried out with other varieties, in particular with the bronze broad-breasted. At the moment, the Virginia breed is distinguished by its pure white plumage and heavy weight.

Well, now you know what is the origin of the turkey bird. In the wild, it lives in America and Africa. Having domesticated the turkey, people brought out just a huge number of its breeds, which are distinguished by their large weight and high fertility. Of course, for a personal household or farm, it is better to choose those birds that are well adapted to survive in this particular region.