BigAg drove most turkey breeds to the brink of extinction. Now heritage breeds are making a comeback

[marmar]

from Grist:



Something to be thankful for: Real turkeys make a comeback

by Claire Thompson
14 Nov 2011 6:57 AM


In 1997, The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) took a turkey census. For about half a century, nearly every turkey farm in the U.S. had been raising a breed known as the Broad Breasted White. (This cost-efficient, big-breasted bird has a lifespan of only 18 weeks and can neither fly, nor reproduce without artificial insemination). So when the ALBC went looking for other, older breeds of turkey, what they found was startling: They counted only 1,300 turkeys not bred for industrial purposes. In the whole country.

As Emily Anne Vaughn, of Slow Food USA, puts it, the efficiency associated with the new bird “came with a great loss of diversity.”

And, if you’re not old enough to remember a time before the Broad Breasted White, you may be surprised that the ALBC’s website calls turkeys “the quintessential American bird.” Indeed, Benjamin Franklin wanted to designate the turkey—indigenous to North and South America—as our national symbol instead of the eagle. And for hundreds of years “turkeys were barnyard staples” in the U.S., says Vaughn. “They’re an easy, abundant source of meat, resilient and self-reliant. It was a no-brainer to have around.”

Fast forward to today, when “they have literally bred all of the turkey out of the turkey,” says Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, the largest USDA-certified organic farm in the state of Georgia. Harris raises American Standard Bronze turkeys, one of eight varieties identified by the ALBC as heritage breed turkeys—or birds descended from a continuous gene pool dating back to before the rise of the Broad Breasted White. Heritage birds can still mate naturally, and have a long outdoor lifespan and slow growth rate. Industrial turkeys, on the other hand, said Harris, “are satisfied to sit in one place and eat and defecate.” ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-11-14-something-to-be-thankful-for-real-turkeys-make-a-comeback

[uppityperson]

1. One of ours stayed small so still lives on with the chickens. She lays probably

6 dozen eggs in the spring/summer. Funny bird also.

[Uben]

2. We have wild turkeys out the kazoo here

There are more than 1300 in our county alone, so they didn't look too hard.

[mopinko]

9. not wild turkeys. heritage breeds.

domesticated turkeys.

[yellowcanine]

13. Yes but the domesticated heritage breeds were themselves developed from wild turkeys.

So the situation isn't nearly as dire as one might think from reading the OP. There are populations of wild turkeys all over the place in North America. Each of the breeding populations represents a source of genetic variation.

[mopinko]

18. that would be a lot of knowledge and hard work down the drain.

selective breeding of varieties of anything is a multigenerational endeavor. it would be a shame for it to go down the drain. just having that original stock is really not the same as preserving all that hard work and history.

[yellowcanine]

21. Granted. But my point still stands. Not as dire as it sounds. The genetic diversity is the key.

[hunter]

11. They are talking about domesticated turkeys.

At least there is a wild gene pool from which new domestic breeds might be developed.

You see the same lack of diversity with dairy cows. When I was a kid dairies had all kinds of cows. Now it's just the ultra high-producing over=bred Frankenstein science enhanced Holsteins.

[formercia]

3. Lots of Wild Turkeys here

They are almost tame because of light hunting pressure. I counted 18 in our yard one Day. A lot of folks, including myself leave food for them in the Winter.

[Uben]

14. Same here.

I can call a turkey close enough to almost touch them! There's no sport in that. I don't hunt anymore. I've been "calling" quail for years. It's fun to see how close you can call them.
We often see groups of 10-20 turkeys within 100 yds of the house. Since no one nearby bothers them, they don't seem to mind me out and about, but they don't get too close. That's what I enjoy about rural living. Wildlife. I've seen creatures most will never see. Mountain lions, albino racoons, ring-tailed cats, foxes, a red wolf, and many more.

[formercia]

16. A couple of years ago, I was able to get within stick distance of a flock.

they were busy eating Acorns and didn't even have a lookout. It was startling to have them all take flight right in front of me. Neat experience.
I don't hunt any more. Too many crazies out there.

[Uben]

19. Cleaning a wild turkey isn't a pleasant task

I did one, that was enough! Dem birds stink! Buying a nice turkey breast at the grocery will suffice for me. I'm going arrowhead hunting this weekend and I know we will see a bunch of turkey and probably deer, too, where we're going. Not to mention those damned feral hogs. They are really becoming a problem, especially for deer hunters.

[formercia]

20. The hogs will clean up any offal you leave in short order

I've seen them make a deer carcass disappear in a day or so with nothing showing but some flattened grass, and a few bits of hair and bone.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

4. they didn't look in Alabama or Georgia

if all the found was 1300 in the 'whole country'...i've seen over 100 in a single day...

sP

[RebelOne]

7. There is one that has taken up residence

off Main Street in Woodstock, Georgia. He is supposedly just down the street from me but I have not seen him yet, Many motorists have seen him though there is a controversy whether is is a he or she.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

10. we drive up into the N GA mountains a lot in the fall

and there is not a single trip where we don't spot at least one...my uncle used to have a wild turkey that had become 'tame' and lived in a small tree in his back yard. he would walk right up to you drumming the whole time...guess he was horny...or trying to show us who was boss.

sP

[KoKo]

5. I haven't eaten or cooked a decent tasting Turkey since around 1992 or so..

I've bought them from Whole Foods, Private Farms, Organic, Natural...even went back to "Butterball last year in desperation. None of them are like the "real turkey meat" that I grew up with and cooked myself so many years ago.

Ever wonder why "Deep Frying and Brining" became a fave on the Food Network? Because the turkeys had no taste... They've bread the taste out of Turkey meat with cloning and forced food (who knows what's in the food) and the terrible conditions they live under whether they are cloned and eat organic or live in cages with the crap food that isn't natural and their lives are hell.

The "Free Range" I've bought haven't tasted any better. (And, before anyone thinks I'm just not a good cook...let me tell you that our whole family is complaining and that includes some "Seniors" who have cooked Turkeys since the late 1950's and THEY are saying they can't find a good tasting Turkey, anymore ...these days.

Bred for BIG BREAST WHITE MEAT...and NO FLAVOR!

[formercia]

6. Can't have Hot Dogs and Baloney tasting like Turkey.

Subway meats are mostly Turkey.

[slackmaster]

8. Very interesting. I don't know jack about turkeys.

:kick:

[cherokeeprogressive]

12. Well, they've made one HELL of a comeback then. n/t

[quinnox]

15. I don't like turkey myself, give me ham every time

[LWolf]

17. Heritage turkeys? You mean

turkeys that can actually walk, maybe even fly, when mature? Turkeys that can reproduce normally?

There's no comparison. Before I moved out of state, I had a friend who raised heritage turkeys; I got mine from her every year. Since moving, I just don't eat turkey.

[pinboy3niner]

22. Shhhhh--don't tell Sarah Palin!!!!

[XemaSab]

23. Wow, that's depressing

Modern turkey farming is very dismal.