Heritage or Production Turkeys: Which is the Best Fit?

While turkey production is not the most significant portion of Pennsylvania’s poultry industry, it’s still an integral part. The 2022 Census of Agriculture reports poultry production as Pennsylvania’s top animal agriculture commodity, surpassing dairy in total revenue.

Similarly to the rest of our poultry industry, Pennsylvania turkey production features many smaller or independent producers. Although it’s a little late to start raising turkeys for this holiday season, it’s never too early to start planning, and there are still markets that provide a demand for turkey products year-round in Pennsylvania. Those looking to raise turkeys, especially on a smaller scale, may consider whether heritage or production turkey varieties are best for them. Both have benefits, but the variety you choose will depend on your end goals and available resources.

What, Exactly, Defines a Heritage Turkey Variety?

Generally, a heritage poultry breed is one that was historically raised on an outdoor range-based or more extensive production system. Heritage varieties must meet the following criteria: they must be able to mate naturally, live a long, productive lifespan in an outdoor system, and have a slow growth rate as compared to production varieties. Some examples of heritage turkeys include Royal Palm, Narragansett, Bourbon Red, Slate, Bronze, and White Holland. Some of these breeds are under threatened or watch status as they become less common to raise. Broad-breasted white is the most common commercial production variety, although broad-breasted bronze is another great option in that category. The high-yielding white turkeys that most commercial industry uses today were developed using crosses of standard bronze, white holland, and others, which all eventually trace back to wild turkey populations native to North and South America.

What Does This Mean for Managing and Raising These Different Types of Heritage Turkeys?

Some land is required as these birds will be raised on a range or partially in an outdoor production system. These varieties are often more disease-resistant than their production counterparts and are great foragers, which helps them to thrive in an outdoor system. However, planning enough acreage to rotate pastures for these birds will ensure the best outcomes for production and health. If you want to breed turkeys, these breeds can mate naturally, but you must monitor for overaggressive toms. One of the drawbacks of heritage turkeys is that they are smaller and less efficient at converting feed to meat, making them more expensive to produce. These varieties will take 26–28 weeks to reach market weight and usually produce a 50:50 ratio of white to dark meat. The exact weights will depend on the variety and sex but will be lower overall than a production variety.

How Are Commercial Production Varieties Different?

Broad-breasted turkeys do not require outdoor access, although they can be raised on a range. They are larger than their heritage counterparts and more efficient meat producers. Hens will reach a market weight of 20 pounds in 14 weeks, and toms will be around 38 pounds in 18 weeks. Production turkeys have a 70:30 ratio of white to dark meat. However, the grow-out process must be managed closely as these varieties are more prone to joint or leg issues due to faster growth rates. Since these birds cannot mate naturally, breeding via artificial insemination is a common practice. However, this may be less feasible for smaller operations.

There are advantages to both heritage and production turkeys. For a quicker turn-around and more cost-effective bird, production varieties may be a better option. If you are looking to fill a market for organic or free-range birds or focus on the conservation of less common varieties, heritage may be the way to go. Thinking about long-term goals, resources, and time available to commit to raising turkeys will help you decide which bird is the best fit.