Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
The Nature of the Bird * Natural Habitat
1 History
An American Original * European Contact * Colonial America * Breed Improvements
2 Varieties of Turkeys
Three Turkey Types * Wild Turkeys * Commercial Broad-Breasted Turkeys * Heritage Turkey Varieties * Securing Stock * Shipping and Receiving
3 Building and Equipment
Management Systems * Housing * Equipment
4 Feeds and Feeding
Feed Types * Natural Balancing * Feeding * Feeding Philosophy * Feeding the Breeders
5 Incubation
Collection of Eggs * Incubator Setup * Egg Position and Turning * Candling * When to Open the Incubator * Poult Defects Caused by Improper Incubation * Identification and Tracking * Removing Poults from the Incubator
6 Brooding
Imitating Nature * Natural Brooding * Before Brooding * The Brooder and Brooder House * Primary Brooding Challenges * Receiving Shipped Poults * Maturing Poults * Observing Poult Behavior
7 Pastured Production
Overview of the Three Systems * The Challenges of Overstocking * Learning from Nature * Rotational Grazing * Fencing Basics * Movable Roosts and Feeders * Permanent Fencing * Guardian Dogs * Roosts * Shade * Pasture * Manure * Putting Poults on Pasture
8 Protection from Predators
Small Predators * Medium-sized Predators * Large Predators * Flying Predators * Prevention * Fencing * Guardian Dogs * Your Ecosystem * Turkey Nature
9 Killing and Processing
Assessing Readiness for Processing * Care before Killing * Processing Area and Equipment * Killing * Debraining * Scalding * Plucking * Eviscerating * Cleaning the Giblets * Trussing * Chilling and Packaging * State and Federal Grading and Inspection
10 Breeding
Nature's Way * Human Impact * A Philosophy of Good Breeding * Genes * Breeds, Varieties, and Strains of Turkeys * Breeding Methods * Breeding Tools * Culling * Care of Breeding Turkeys * Storing Eggs * Egg Production * Selection * Applying What You've Learned * Artificial Insemination
11 The Turkey Enterprise
Consistency * Source of Stock * System of Production * Feed * Transporting * Processing * Product Marketing * Product Storage and Shipping * Inspections and Certifications * Marketing Your Turkeys
12 Flock Health
Disease Prevention Starts with Good Health * Disease Basics * Turkey Diseases * Turkey Parasites * Disease Prevention * Nutritional Deficiencies * Miscellaneous Problems * Disposal of Dead Birds * Rodent Control
Advice from Turkey Breeders
Talking Turkey: A Glossary of Terms
Definition of a Heritage Turkey
Recommended Reading
Resources
Index
