Breeds of turkeys: the best for breeding at home

The demand for poultry products in the consumer market is high. But farmers often face the question of which type of birds to prefer. Among the best breeds of turkeys, you can choose a meat direction or bet on the sale of eggs. Rapid weight gain, unpretentious care and other qualities have made birds popular for breeding at home.

Breeds by purpose

Poultry is characterized by a wide variety of species. But among turkeys, only 31 breeds are distinguished. Some quickly gain weight, others are more hardy. Purpose - one of the parameters of the classification of birds.

Meat

Meat breeds include broilers and crosses:

Suitable for breeding in cages and for walkingMale, on average, weigh up to 22 kg, females - 10100 Bronze MoscowLive in a poultry house, able to gain weight on grazing Body weight of adult turkeys - 20 kg, females - 2 times less 6Maintenance on bedding no more than 1 turkey per 1 sq.m.Weight reaches 25 kg. in males and 15 in females. 100

Name	Distinctive traits	Weight	Egg production per season
White Broad-breasted

In the wild, turkeys gain weight in 2-3 years of life. Domestic breeds are distinguished by an accelerated rate of adding kilograms; at 4 months, birds already reach a value of 70% of the mass.

Egg

Birds with rapid puberty are selected for eggs. Brief description of the best breeds:

Developed maternal instinct, undemanding to maintenance and feed Quick adaptation to new conditions, unpretentiousnessMales gain 16 kg, females - 8140 Cross headon 180

Mass	Egg count		Virgin
Turkeys - 9 kg,		turkeys - total 4	120
Moscow Whites
Hardiness, high hatchability	20 kg adult birds and half the size of laying hens

Turkey eggs have a creamy taste. Cream color with brown spots. Products quickly deteriorate due to the porous structure of the shell. Less than a month in the fridge.

Meat and Eggs

Turkeys and meat and egg productivity are classified as universal breeds. Indices of popular species: Weight of turkeys

Getting eggs Bronze North CaucasianAdjustability to different conditions14 kg - males,70

		7 - female	80
Fawn Uzbek	They find food on their own, rarely need to be fed	Turkeys weigh 10 kg and females weigh 5 kg	60
Cross universal	Strong immunity, undemanding to food	Adult males 18 kg, laying hens - 8

Meat and dairy turkeys are compact in size, but adapted to pasture and do not require special conditions.

Classification of turkeys by weight

Turkeys are classified not only for their intended purpose. Poultry is divided into types based on weight.

Light

Turkeys reach 9 kilograms of weight, females - no more than 5. Small birds are very mobile, so breeding in a confined space is not suitable for them. Light breeds feel comfortable in free-range conditions.

This property is considered an advantage by farmers. Birds independently find sources of food. Less money is needed to buy feed.

Turkeys that appeared as a result of unsystematic crossing, and not the efforts of breeders, are also referred to as a light species. The classification also includes decorative types of birds that have no value in terms of productivity. For cultivation, breeds such as the virgin, black Tikhoretskaya and varieties of bronze and North Caucasian turkeys are recommended.

Average

Turkeys that have gained 16 kilograms of weight, and 7-kg laying hens are classified in the middle category by weight. This type includes mainly meat and egg breeds.

Recently, the cross-grade maker is gaining popularity. The bird was brought to Russia from Canada. Turkeys are distinguished by:

1. Delicious meat, which is classified as dietary due to its low fat content.
2. Disease resistance.
3. Rapid growth.
4. Marketing of carcasses.
5. Stamina.

Among the shortcomings are intolerance to cold, excessive appetite. Poultry farmers believe that the breed has a chance to spread.

Heavy

Meat breeds and crosses are almost all of the heavy type. Against the background of light breeds, turkeys weighing 30 kilograms look like giants. Females are also large and weigh between 10 and 12 kilograms. The advantages of meat breeds include a high yield and the possibility of obtaining additional income from the sale of eggs. For a year, laying hens bring up to 100 pieces. Of the minuses, they note the exactingness of the conditions of detention and careful care.

BIG-6 crosses have the highest productivity rates.

Which varieties are suitable for home breeding

The purpose of breeding birds in the household is to obtain meat. Turkeys are often chosen for their ability to gain weight in the shortest possible time and high yield. The most profitable from this point of view are heavy crosses.

Among the additional advantages of this type are the ability of females to incubate eggs, a relatively small amount of purchased feed.But breeding hybrid varieties requires considerable effort to keep them in comfortable conditions. Poultry farmers believe that breeding requires knowledge of bird care.

Beginners are advised to choose breeds that are used in the region where farmers live. Local species are adapted to climatic conditions and food supply. In summer, turkeys are able to independently obtain food on a free range. The lower yield of meat and egg products offsets the ease of maintenance.

Suitable for home growing:

1. Hybrid converter, which is characterized by survival in different conditions, endurance and a significant yield of meat.
2. The performance of the Uzbek fawn breed is not very high, but the birds grow well on grazing.
3. White Moscow turkeys are also well suited for breeding in small farms.

Representatives of North Caucasian breeds and black Tikhoretsk birds are not demanding for care and nutrition.

The most unpretentious breeds

Turkeys can often be found in private backyards. Birds are unpretentious and quickly increase their mass. But some species require less effort to grow than others.

Such breeds as the North Caucasian, bronze or white-breasted, are not susceptible to diseases and are characterized by precocity. The main plus is the ability to gain weight in free-range conditions.

Cross station wagon is the least demanding of special conditions among hybrids. Quickly adapts to the Russian environment and the Canadian hybrid converter.

Most popular representatives

Heavy meat crosses and broilers gain significant weight, but feathered giants require spacious pastures and equipped poultry houses. On small farms and private farmsteads, breeds such as fawn Uzbek, Moscow, white broad-breasted turkeys are more common. The most popular is the mixed direction. Dietary meat and large, tasty eggs are obtained from poultry.

The choice of breed depends on the purpose of breeding. By choosing the right option and creating the necessary conditions, at the end of the season they receive high-quality and sought-after products.

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