{"id":703,"date":"2019-01-26T21:04:27","date_gmt":"2019-01-26T21:04:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eatturkey.org\/?page_id=703"},"modified":"2023-06-02T13:24:01","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T17:24:01","slug":"raising-turkeys","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.eatturkey.org\/raising-turkeys\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising America’s Turkeys"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Raising turkeys is around-the-clock work. In 2022, more than 210 million turkeys were raised on about 2,500 farms across the United States, with the majority being family farms. NTF is working to amplify the hard work done by the men and women across the turkey industry to support America\u2019s robust food supply. Read on to learn more about raising turkeys and the turkey production process in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raising Birds to Maturity<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Broad-breasted White is the most commonly domesticated breed\nof turkey. This breed is raised to produce more breast meat and meatier thighs\nand is recognizable by their white feathers. Other variations, such as heritage\nturkeys, are also bred in niche markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey eggs are tan with brown specks and are larger than\nchicken eggs. The incubation period to hatch a turkey egg is 28 days. Once\nhatched, a baby turkey is called a poult and is tan and brown. Male turkeys are\ncalled toms, while female turkeys are called hens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you know the anatomy of an adult turkey?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: <\/strong>Broad-breasted turkeys are bred with white feathers, so they leave no unsightly pigment spots under the skin when plucked. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Turkeys Are Raised <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

American farmers are raising turkeys in scientifically designed,\u00a0environmentally controlled barns<\/a>\u00a0that provide maximum protection from predators, disease and weather extremes.\u00a0They are fed a balanced diet of corn and soybean meal mixed with a supplement of vitamins and minerals. Genetic improvements, better feed formulation and modern management practices are responsible for the size of turkeys produced today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On average, it takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 38-pound tom turkey. Feed ingredients account for roughly two-thirds of the cost of raising a turkey. Modern production methods have shortened the time it takes for turkeys to reach maturity. A hen usually takes 14 weeks and weighs 15.5 pounds when processed, but a tom takes roughly 18 weeks to reach a market weight of 38 pounds. Hens are typically processed and sold as whole birds, while toms are often further processed into products such as cutlets, tenderloins, turkey sausage, turkey franks and turkey deli meats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain production continuity, laying hens are\nartificially inseminated in a controlled environment. During a 25-week laying\ncycle, a hen normally lays 80-100 eggs. At the end of this cycle, the hen is\n\u201cspent\u201d and usually processed. Some breeders choose to molt the hen (allow a resting\nperiod) before another production cycle. This process takes 90 days; however, the\nsecond laying cycle will produce slightly fewer eggs (75-80). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a behind the scenes glimpse at a turkey farm and processing plant led by animal welfare expert Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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