Raising Show Turkeys - 4 Vital Factors You Need to Know Before You Start to Rear Show Turkeys

Raising show turkeys can be a great business and
a rewarding hobby. The only caveat is, it takes
a lot more dedication than, say, raising turkeys
for meat. In fact, before you even begin to
seriously consider this, you need to make sure
that you are up to this challenging task.
Turkeys, especially those that are bred for
competition, need to be cared for and fed
regularly -- and for the rest of their lives. If
you neglect this, your turkeys will fall behind
in weight and size, and there won't be any
catching up after that. In addition to these
perpetual tasks, raising show turkeys is also a
time-consuming activity, and one that requires
great amount of patience and dedication.

Rearing turkeys basically involves four major
phases, the first of which is setting up an
environment that will promote their growth and
health. It is important that you have the
breeding space ready before the birds arrive,
including all the equipment and facilities. Thy
typical requirements of a conducive environment
are ample space, sufficient ventilation, a
controlled temperature, and safety and
protection from birds' natural predators as well
as the elements. At this point, it is important
to remember that any change in the environment
can put stress on the turkeys. As such, it is
key that the environment and any changes to it
be controlled.

The second phase is feeding the birds a diet
that sufficiently supplies their nutritional
requirements. The right nutrition allows the
birds to achieve their full growth potential.
Feeding is an area which would require some
research. Before you start raising show turkeys,
you should first familiarize yourself with the
vitamins and nutrients that promote growth of
muscle tissues and bones, those that improve the
immune system, and those that provide energy for
the birds' daily activities.

After you have set up the perfect environment
for the birds and have figured out the right
balance of feeds, the next thing you need to
learn to do is how to choose the birds that are
most likely to win. The typical criteria for
judging show turkeys are weight, size and amount
of breast meat. When selecting which birds to
enter in competitions, look for those that are
biggest and heaviest, and with the most
concentration of muscles at the breast. Examine
the birds for any defect, such as wounds,
crooked legs or broken bones, as these are
grounds for disqualification.

Finally, the last part of raising show turkeys
is keeping records of them. Records allow you to
keep track of the progress of your turkeys, and
your previous decisions regarding each of them.
Your records should also include notes about the
facilities, such as temperature, humidity levels,
weights, health and feed consumption.

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If you feel you still need assistance on raising
show turkeys, consulting existing turkey owners
and farmers will certainly be a big help.
Discover more about raising turkeys properly
here: http://www.howtoraiseturkeys.com

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