backyard turkeys are bred less than chickens and ducks.However, they are currently the bird quite popular.Of course, many truckers are concerned about how the turkey was domesticated, as well as existing at the moment of its species.This bird breeds in fact, there are many.
Origin turkey
progenitors of modern poultry were wild birds living in Africa, Mexico and North America.Most of them are very large turkey with long legs, short wings and tail.We call them so for the same reason as that of the American Indians.Even today, individuals are considered to be wild game birds and mined for the tasty meat.Initially, these birds were brought to Spain (in 1519) from America.Therefore, very often they are also called "Spanish chickens."
ancient turkey
Thus, American and African origin turkey beyond doubt.But when the first domesticated the birds?Recently, scientists in the US and Canada, conducted a study of the bones of turkeys DNA found at an archaeological site dating from the 2nd millennium. BC.e.and ending with the 18th century.As a result, it was found that they were first domesticated still 800-100 gg.BC.e.The bones of these birds are on the territory of ancient settlements in Mexico and Nicaragua.The scientists also concluded that many of their dogs were bred in Central and South America independently.
Wild turkey: description
progenitors of poultry lay about 20 eggs, and do it on the ground.An interesting feature of this bird, a wild turkey (pictured below), is the fact that males are sometimes adjacent to the herds of domestic animals.In this case, a very hardy and viable offspring.
So, the origin of the turkey we are found.Next, consider what features are characterized by the most popular varieties of these domestic birds.
White broad-
This variety has been bred turkeys in the US in the 60s.As the original rocks used white Dutch and bronze chested.To our country, these turkeys were introduced in 1970 with an English farm "River-Rest."On the basis of broad-white were obtained three cross - medium, light and heavy.Last at the age of 13 weeks can weigh about 5.2 kg.Body weight average comes to 4.1 kg and 3.5 kg light up.Adults turkeys heavy breeds can weigh 20-25 kg turkey - 11 kg.An average of 15-17 kg, respectively, and 6.7 kg, in light of 9 kg and 5.5 kg.From a turkey can get 80-90 units per year.
Cross Big 6
This is one of the most popular breeds currently.Its main advantages are early maturity, high weight and a very good ability to reproduce.Big 6 (turkey) - a bird bred on farms in England.Males of this cross can gain weight to 22-25 kg and females up to - 11 kg.Both are characterized by a white color with black puchochkom chest.A distinctive feature of this breed is that thirty percent of the weight of carcasses falls on the breast.Turkeys stops growing at the age of 90-100 days.By this time they were fully prepared for the slaughter.
Breed wagon
These birds differ well muscled and white plumage.Adults turkeys weigh 6.5 kg and 4.76 kg females.A laying hen can sit and bring up to 61 indyushonka.Popularity wagon farmers won not because rapidly gaining weight - he does it slowly crosses many other - and because for hatching does not require artificial insemination.Cross is a dual-line, derived from crosses of males to females V1 V2.Bred he was North Caucasus ZOSP.
Bronze chested
Pops-turkey hens of this breed are primarily due to its heavy weight.In males, it can reach 15-18 kg, 10-11 kg in the females.There are cases when the weight of birds of this species reach 30 kg.However, this turkey to grow, of course, not everyone will be able to.To achieve this result you need to spend a huge amount of feed.
Another quality that makes such a bird as a broad-bronze turkey (photo below), popular with farmers, egg production is high - up to 120 pieces.in year.Of these, over 80% of the eggs are fertilized.In this way the young at hatching is 70-75%.Turkey this breed differ simply wonderful mothering ability.Sometimes, they even enclose a chicken, goose and duck eggs.
What is the origin of this wonderful turkey on the qualities of breed?They took bronze chested in America.Parent breeds have become black British and American turkey.
Moscow White
It Russian turkey - a bird bred farm "Birches" by crossing the Dutch Ministry of Defense, Moscow and local white bronze turkeys.Its main advantages are considered high egg production, tasty meat and tidy presentation of the carcass.Weight males may reach 12.5 kg, females - 7 kg.While this breed in our country too widespread and is mainly used as a gene pool to create high-performance crossover.
North Caucasian breed
There are only three lines of this breed - silver, bronze and white.The greatest weight is different one.Silver North Caucasian males can increase body weight up to 15 kg, turkey - up to 7 kg.White birds reach a weight of 12 kg and 7, respectively, and bronze - 14 and 8 kg.
Tikhoretskaya black
This variety has been bred in the Krasnodar region through a long selection of local black turkeys.It was first described in 1958.Plumage black turkeys and strong physique.This is a very active bird, besides pasture breeding adapted to cell cultivation.The Virginia
breed
These turkeys were bred in the Netherlands in the 18th century.Even then, they were valued for tasty meat and high egg production.Improving the quality of the rock occurred by the selection of the weight and broad-chested.They were including crossbreeding with other species, in particular broad-bronze.Currently virgin rock is different pure white plumage and greater weight.
Well, now you know what is the origin of bird turkey.In the wild it lives in America and Africa.Domesticated turkey, people brought a huge amount of its kind, featuring a large weight and high fertility.Of course, for private farms or farm to choose the best of those birds that are well adapted to survive in this particular region.
