283:
191:
27:
239:, the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities (SPAA), the Heritage Turkey Foundation, and a few hundred key poultry enthusiasts launched a major effort to restore breeding populations of heritage turkeys in the late 20th century. One man in particular, Frank Reese Jr., has been credited by sources such as
371:
Heritage turkeys have been praised by chefs and food critics alike as being richer in flavor than industrial birds, though the lack of a large amount of breast meat means cooking times and methods may differ substantially from non-heritage birds. Heritage turkeys are closer in taste to wild turkeys,
328:
Except for a few flocks of toms kept for semen production, commercial turkeys generally never live past the point at which they reach market weight. Heritage turkeys are capable of the full normal lifespan of wild turkeys. Breeding hens are commonly productive for 5–7 years and breeding toms for 3–5
231:
considered heritage turkeys to be the most critically endangered of all domestic animals circa 1997. A census conducted by the
Conservancy found less than 1,500 total breeding birds (out of all heritage varieties) were left in the country. Some breeds, such as the Narragansett, had less than a dozen
367:
Heritage means a bird is more than a descendant of earlier breeds with names like Red
Bourbon, Narragansett, and Standard Bronze: The Livestock Conservancy outlines that heritage turkeys must mate naturally, have a slow growth rate that results from a longer lifespan and spend their life outdoors.
345:
All heritage turkeys have a relatively slow to moderate rate of growth. Turkeys raised in industrial agriculture are slaughtered at 14 to 18 weeks of age, while heritage turkeys reach a marketable weight in about 28 weeks, giving the birds time to develop a strong skeletal structure and healthy
249:
as being instrumental in preserving heritage breeds, but small farmers all across the country were also important; strains of heritage turkey kept in genetic isolation for years by family farms preserved heritage breeds for the future. Primary motivations for the endeavor included a passion for
45:
which retains historic characteristics that are no longer present in the majority of turkeys raised for consumption since the mid-20th century. Heritage turkeys can be differentiated from other domestic turkeys in that they are biologically capable of being raised in a manner that more closely
307:
Along with the surge in popularity of heritage turkeys, some farmers have (perhaps unknowingly) passed off birds which do not meet the basic definition of true heritage birds in an effort to cash in on the phenomenon. To be a true heritage turkey, birds must meet three specific criteria.
294:, it does have a precise definition. The most notable heritage turkeys today come from specific breeds, such as the Bourbon Red, but any fowl regardless of breed can be defined as a heritage turkey if it meets the criteria mentioned below. Only a few of these are recognized by the
368:
Heritage turkeys are smaller than their commercially bred counterparts (which are all Broad
Breasted Whites) and have a stronger—some say gamy—flavor. Less breast meat and more highly exercised thighs and wings mean heritage turkeys benefit from longer, slower cooking times.
226:
birds and those on a scant few small farms, other turkeys virtually disappeared. By the end of the 20th century, all but the Broad
Breasted White were in danger of extinction. Around this time, conservation organizations began to recognize the plight of heritage turkeys;
372:
but are several pounds larger. Part of this stated increase in flavor is due to a difference in the maturity between industrial turkeys and heritage ones - if birds are slaughtered at less than four months old, they fail to ever accrue fat layers.
202:
For over 35 years, the overwhelming majority of the 280 million turkeys produced in North
America each year have been the product of a few genetic strains of Broad Breasted White. The breeding stock for these birds are owned largely by three
265:
In a 2003 census by the
Livestock Conservancy, heritage turkey populations had increased by more than 200 percent. By 2006, the count of heritage turkeys in the U.S. was up to 8,800 breeding birds. Though all but the
355:...this represented a completely different order of turkey. Now I understood what turkey was like before the triumph of the Broad Breasted White, and why eating turkey had once been considered a great treat...
601:
580:
144:. Beginning in the 1920s and continuing into the 1950s, broad-breasted fowl began to replace all other types of turkey in commercial production. The favorite breed at the time was the
791:
316:
The first criterion is that heritage turkeys are able to mate naturally with no intervention from humans, and with expected fertility rates of 70-80%. Hens can lay fertile eggs, and
171:
for this single trait, 70% of the weight of mass market turkeys is in their breast. Consequently, the birds are so heavy that they are completely incapable of reproducing without
108:
Despite increasing interest in heritage turkeys, they are still a tiny minority, perhaps 25,000 raised annually compared to more than 200,000,000 industrial turkeys and 7,000,000
167:
and increase producers' profit margins, the goal in turkey farming became the production of the maximum amount of breast meat at the lowest possible cost. As a result of
375:
Due to their rarity and the length of time involved in their growth, heritage turkeys are also far more expensive than their more common brethren. While turkeys from
320:
their clutches to hatching. According to The
Livestock Conservancy, birds must be the result of natural reproduction in order to truly be called heritage turkeys.
175:, and they reach such extreme weights so quickly their overall development fails to keep pace with their rapidly accruing muscle mass, resulting in severe
386:
In addition to a difference in culinary characteristics, heritage turkeys are often considered to be a more healthful food; as a result of the diet of
346:
organs prior to building muscle mass. This growth rate is identical to that of the commercial varieties of the first half of the 20th century.
105:. Some prominent chefs, farmers, and food critics have also contended that heritage turkey meat tastes better and is more healthful.
643:
222:
Along with the adoption of the Broad
Breasted White by industrial producers, other turkey varieties faded in numbers. Other than
701:
569:
658:
749:"American Standard of Perfection, 1998, A Complete Description of All Recognized Breeds and Varieties of Domestic Poultry"
737:"American Standard of Perfection, 1998, A Complete Description of All Recognized Breeds and Varieties of Domestic Poultry"
693:
254:
among domestic animals which humans depend upon. Consumer and restaurant interest was also motivated by a support of
796:
51:
776:
752:
740:
295:
286:
A heritage turkey prepared for roasting. Note the ratio of breast meat to dark meat is closer to 50/50.
50:. Heritage turkeys have a relatively long lifespan and a much slower growth rate than turkeys bred for
228:
204:
627:
412:
376:
240:
212:
528:
672:
648:
172:
141:
59:
806:
300:
677:
145:
86:
157:
379:
may be given away along with other purchases, heritage turkeys can cost upwards of $ 200 (
8:
391:
271:
90:
622:
801:
606:
585:
245:
216:
168:
137:
565:
251:
274:
are still considered critically endangered, the birds have rebounded significantly.
387:
334:
152:. In the 1960s producers began to heavily favor turkeys that did not show the dark
705:
208:
164:
149:
129:
98:
70:
42:
20:
728:
282:
407:
360:
232:
individuals left, and many considered most heritage turkeys to be beyond hope.
223:
94:
78:
290:
While the moniker of heritage turkey is not a government-regulated label like
785:
663:
395:
236:
176:
74:
66:
198:
tom, can have a much more striking appearance than the Broad
Breasted White.
291:
190:
125:
121:
102:
267:
259:
195:
184:
153:
109:
82:
47:
26:
19:
This article is about a breed of fowl. For the archaeology magazine, see
766:
383:), though prices have fallen in some areas as they become more common.
330:
255:
140:
for increasingly larger size, focusing especially on the production of
55:
771:
160:
grew to dominate the industry, a trend which continues to this day.
748:
317:
128:(turkeys are prodigious eaters of insects). But with the advent of
31:
736:
180:
133:
120:
For most of history, turkeys were primarily raised on small
112:, and most heritage breeds are endangered in some respect.
581:"The Hunt for a Truly Grand Turkey, One That Nature Built"
430:
428:
792:
Conservation
Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
380:
329:
years. They are also more well-suited for outdoor and/or
425:
472:
470:
621:Gibson, Charles; Blair Soden (November 15, 2007).
467:
69:are classified as heritage turkeys, including the
620:
783:
30:Heritage turkeys of various breeds on a farm in
644:"Consumers gobble up Heritage American turkeys"
444:
442:
440:
46:matches the natural behavior and life cycle of
390:, heritage meat contains far higher levels of
517:Definition of a Heritage Turkey, albc-usa.org
460:
458:
456:
454:
562:Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds
513:
511:
509:
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
437:
54:, and unlike industrially bred turkeys, can
673:"Heritage Turkeys, the Better Holiday Bird"
623:"The Man Who Saved Turkeys From Extinction"
323:
729:"How to Raise Heritage Turkeys on Pasture"
451:
506:
488:
731:. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
599:
281:
215:, and Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms in
189:
25:
559:
211:, British United Turkeys of America in
784:
578:
564:. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.
526:
702:American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
656:
657:Mapes, Lynda V. (October 21, 2007).
641:
579:Burros, Marian (November 21, 2001).
340:
311:
13:
721:
600:Severson, Kim (November 7, 2007).
41:is one of a variety of strains of
14:
818:
760:
694:"Definition of a Heritage Turkey"
527:Pollan, Michael (May–June 2003).
642:Ness, Carol (November 2, 2005).
250:historic breeds and maintaining
156:in their carcass, and thus the
148:, which was developed from the
539:
529:"Cruising on the Ark of taste"
520:
479:
1:
552:
277:
753:American Poultry Association
741:American Poultry Association
418:
296:American Poultry Association
194:Heritage turkeys, like this
101:, Pied, Harvey Speckled and
7:
401:
235:The Livestock Conservancy,
10:
823:
772:UK Heritage Turkey Experts
767:Heritage Turkey Foundation
434:Ekarius (2007) pp. 220-221
349:
205:multinational corporations
124:for meat and as a form of
115:
18:
602:"Preservation's Progress"
298:through inclusion in the
229:The Livestock Conservancy
16:Strain of domestic turkey
413:Rare breed (agriculture)
324:Long productive lifespan
213:Lewisburg, West Virginia
65:More than ten different
797:Sustainable agriculture
649:San Francisco Chronicle
560:Ekarius, Carol (2007).
173:artificial insemination
60:artificial insemination
777:Heritage Turkey Breeds
388:pasture-raised turkeys
365:
301:Standard of Perfection
287:
199:
136:, turkeys began to be
52:industrial agriculture
34:
678:National Public Radio
476:Ekarius (2007) p. 220
394:, which help prevent
353:
285:
193:
146:Broad Breasted Bronze
29:
659:"Pilgrim's Progress"
207:: Hybrid Turkeys of
158:Broad Breasted White
681:. November 21, 2007
392:omega-3 fatty acids
187:and leg problems.
110:turkeys in the wild
607:The New York Times
586:The New York Times
288:
246:The New York Times
217:Sonoma, California
200:
163:To meet perceived
35:
571:978-1-58017-667-5
252:genetic diversity
814:
756:
744:
732:
716:
714:
713:
704:. Archived from
689:
687:
686:
668:
653:
638:
636:
635:
617:
615:
614:
596:
594:
593:
575:
546:
543:
537:
536:
524:
518:
515:
504:
501:
486:
483:
477:
474:
465:
462:
449:
446:
435:
432:
363:
341:Slow growth rate
335:pastured poultry
312:Naturally mating
138:selectively bred
822:
821:
817:
816:
815:
813:
812:
811:
782:
781:
763:
747:
735:
727:
724:
722:Further reading
719:
711:
709:
692:
684:
682:
671:
633:
631:
612:
610:
591:
589:
572:
555:
550:
549:
544:
540:
525:
521:
516:
507:
502:
489:
484:
480:
475:
468:
463:
452:
448:Severson (2007)
447:
438:
433:
426:
421:
404:
364:
359:
352:
343:
326:
314:
280:
209:Ontario, Canada
165:consumer demand
150:Standard Bronze
130:factory farming
118:
99:Standard Bronze
43:domestic turkey
39:heritage turkey
24:
21:Heritage Turkey
17:
12:
11:
5:
820:
810:
809:
804:
799:
794:
780:
779:
774:
769:
762:
761:External links
759:
758:
757:
745:
733:
723:
720:
718:
717:
690:
669:
654:
639:
618:
597:
576:
570:
556:
554:
551:
548:
547:
538:
519:
505:
487:
478:
466:
450:
436:
423:
422:
420:
417:
416:
415:
410:
408:Heirloom plant
403:
400:
361:Michael Pollan
357:
351:
348:
342:
339:
333:conditions in
325:
322:
313:
310:
279:
276:
117:
114:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
819:
808:
807:Turkey breeds
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
789:
787:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
764:
754:
750:
746:
742:
738:
734:
730:
726:
725:
708:on 2008-05-09
707:
703:
699:
695:
691:
680:
679:
674:
670:
666:
665:
664:Seattle Times
660:
655:
651:
650:
645:
640:
630:
629:
624:
619:
609:
608:
603:
598:
588:
587:
582:
577:
573:
567:
563:
558:
557:
542:
534:
530:
523:
514:
512:
510:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
485:Gibson (2007)
482:
473:
471:
464:Burros (2001)
461:
459:
457:
455:
445:
443:
441:
431:
429:
424:
414:
411:
409:
406:
405:
399:
397:
396:heart disease
393:
389:
384:
382:
378:
377:factory farms
373:
369:
362:
356:
347:
338:
336:
332:
321:
319:
309:
305:
303:
302:
297:
293:
292:organic foods
284:
275:
273:
269:
263:
261:
257:
253:
248:
247:
242:
238:
237:Slow Food USA
233:
230:
225:
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
197:
192:
188:
186:
182:
178:
177:immune system
174:
170:
166:
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
113:
111:
106:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
67:turkey breeds
63:
61:
57:
53:
49:
44:
40:
33:
28:
22:
710:. Retrieved
706:the original
698:albc-usa.org
697:
683:. Retrieved
676:
662:
647:
632:. Retrieved
626:
611:. Retrieved
605:
590:. Retrieved
584:
561:
541:
533:Mother Jones
532:
522:
503:Mapes (2007)
481:
385:
374:
370:
366:
354:
344:
337:operations.
327:
315:
306:
299:
289:
264:
244:
234:
221:
201:
162:
154:pin feathers
126:pest control
122:family farms
119:
107:
103:Midget White
87:Narragansett
64:
48:wild turkeys
38:
36:
545:Ness (2005)
268:Bourbon Red
260:sustainable
196:Bourbon Red
185:respiratory
142:breast meat
83:Bourbon Red
786:Categories
712:2008-07-20
685:2008-07-20
634:2008-07-20
613:2008-07-20
592:2008-07-20
553:References
331:free range
278:Definition
272:Royal Palm
224:exhibition
91:Royal Palm
802:Slow Food
419:Footnotes
169:selection
56:reproduce
628:ABC News
402:See also
358:—
241:ABC News
58:without
32:Maryland
350:As food
262:foods.
181:cardiac
134:poultry
116:History
568:
71:Auburn
318:brood
256:local
95:Slate
79:Black
566:ISBN
270:and
258:and
243:and
75:Buff
381:USD
132:of
788::
751:.
739:.
700:.
696:.
675:.
661:.
646:.
625:.
604:.
583:.
531:.
508:^
490:^
469:^
453:^
439:^
427:^
398:.
304:.
219:.
183:,
179:,
97:,
93:,
89:,
85:,
81:,
77:,
73:,
62:.
37:A
755:.
743:.
715:.
688:.
667:.
652:.
637:.
616:.
595:.
574:.
535:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
