TURKEYS MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS.

TURKEYS MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS.

Introduction.

Domestic turkeys originated from wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo species) native to central and southern Mexico.

The introduction of turkeys to Uganda, like other parts of the world happened through trade and colonization with the birds being brought to the country by European traders. Before Sabena Airlines went out of business in 2002, commercial turkey farming in Uganda and the neighbouring countries was growing gradually with most of the exotic stock being imported from "Agriconcern", a Beligium based turkey breeding company. Inaccessibility to knowledge, insufficient investment in research and challenges of harnessing science and evidence for decision making are the major factors for the static growth of turkey enterprises in developing countries. Other factors include seasonal demand of turkey, high cost of importing parent stock and the need for specialized conditions for breeding and incubating turkeys.

These material aims to equip farmers with knowledge to adapt turkey management fundamentals to diversify production on farm.

Learning objectives.

1.Understand the management system of turkey and their merits and demerits.

2. Identify breeds of turkey and their crosses 

3. Understand the management practices of poults in the brooder.

4. Equip knowledge on the common health problems in turkeys and ways to mitigate these problem to maximize production.

Management systems of keeping Turkey

The management systems of keeping turkeys are broodly categorized into.

1. Extensive system 

2. Semi-intensive system 

3. Intensive system

1. Extensive system.

In the extensive system, turkeys are exposed to unlimited amount of land. Capital investment is relatively low since birds are only housed at night. Subsequently the level of production is generally low.

The extensive system can be divided into two categories.

Free range scavenging system.

Free range commercial system.

i) Free range scavenging system 

Turkeys are deliberately left to roam around the farm/homestead in order to find feed and water for themselves. They feed on vegetation since are good grazers. Also insects, grains, earthworms, home food wastes and by-products of home food preparation hence referred to as scavenging turkeys.

Turkeys aren't sheltered hence may spend the night time in the nearby shrubs, farm structures, verandahs. Farmers only hunt for the birds when they need to slaughter or sell them and there's hardly any diseases control measures applied.

ii) Free range commercial system.

Free range commercial system is a bit more organized. Turkeys are allowed to feed and wander within fenced land and are housed during the night. In addition grain / grain by-products plus water may be provided to the flock to supplement the grass, insects picked from the yard.

Under this system farmers know the number of birds they own and even take satisfactory measures to maintain a health status of the flock. However, there may hardly be any attempt to control breeding.

Merits of extensive system.

It is cheap.

Turkeys get exercise and can keep physically fit.

Turkeys have access to fresh vegetation for vitamins and micro minerals.

Demerits of extensive system.

Turkeys are exposed to harsh conditions, thieves, disease causing agents and predators.

Eggs are often laid in bushes.

Associated with improper monitoring and record keeping.

Security of the birds is rarely guaranteed.

2. Semi-intensive system 

Turkeys are provided with proper poultry housing but are also allowed to have access to grassed land. This include; 

i) Run system.

ii) Fold unit system.

i) Run system.

Turkey house is constructed with a run/yard extending from one side / both sides of the turkey house. The run/yard is a fenced piece of land, the fence may be made of wire netting, woven wire, bamboo shoots, papyrus reeds with a spacing of (15-25)ft²/turkey.

Egg nests are provided in the house. Feed and water are also provided in standard feeders and drinkers usually placed in both the run and house. Birds roam with in the yard picking grass, grains, insects and human food wastes.

Merits of run system.

It is easy to monitor the performance of turkey.

Mitigates risk of turkeys laying in bushes.

Birds are protected from predators.

Production is improved, compared to the extensive systems.

Demerits of run system.

Investment capital is quite high in terms building and fence.

High risk to the quick spread of infectious disease.

During wet season the run may become smelly.

ii) Fold unit system.

A fold unit is a small portable structure with a run all made out of wire mesh. The fold unit is moved on a daily basis, to a fresh spot in the lawn. Part of unit should be sheltered and this is where feed troughs are placed.

Turkeys fold unit can be rotated in the cattle paddocks. A fold unit measuring 1.2m wide by 1.2m high and 3.6m long can accommodate 12 turkeys. For easy movement of the fold unit, wheels at fixed and moved by traction animals.

Merits of fold unit system.

Turkeys are protected from predators.

There is control of internal parasites because the units are moved to fresh spot on a daily basis.

It is easy to monitor the performance of the turkeys.

Demerits of fold unit system.

The cost of housing is high.

Labour requirements are high.

It may encourage cannibalism, Incase of feed shortage.

It is only suitable for relatively flat terrain.

3. Intensive system.

The intensive system of keeping turkeys, ensures that turkeys spend all their lives in the poultry house without moving outside till the slaughter or market date. The intensive system can be grouped into

i) Deep litter system.

ii) Slatted floor system.

i) Deep litter system.

A poultry house is constructed with a concrete floor covered with litter.

The litter material should be non-poisonous, able to absorb much moisture and remain quite dry and clean. These include coffee husks, wood shavings, cereal hull, maize cobs. The choice of the material depends on the cost and availability.

The poultry house must have adequate ventilation to prevent accumulation of ammonia inorder to mitigate risk of respiratory diseases. It is important to begin with fresh, clean litter and a dry floor for each batch of poults to mitigate spread of diseases. Avoid mould litter to mitigate risk of Aspergillosis disease.

Turkey Breeds.

Recognized turkey breeds include White Holland, Bronze, Bourbon Red, Beltsville white, Norfolk black, Slate and Narragansett.

Several varieties are crosses of the above breeds. These include Broad-breasted Bronze, Broad-breasted white, Beltsville small. Turkeys reared in Uganda are mixed crosses. These include Ugandan black turkey, Ugandan Teso, White meat turkey.

Brooding of poults.

Brooding of turkey poults takes (0-8) weeks. Poults are not the best starters in their life hence need tender loving care to survive safely and healthy in their first four weeks. The average poults mortality rate is (6-10)% during this period. Young poults by nature are reluctant to eat and drink in the first few days of life, primarily because of bad eyesight and nervousness. Therefore they must be forced to feed to avoid starve out problems.

Natural brooding gives poor results because broody turkeys make very poor mothers. If natural brooding has to be done, it is better to use a broody hen to incubate turkey eggs for 28 days and raise the poults. The broody hen should be disease free especially free from blackhead disease. Ideally chicken should not be reared with turkey cause chicken are carriers of blackhead disease.

Points to note during brooding.

Ensure proper floor spacing to mitigate risk of chilling of about 1.5ft²/poult for (0-4) weeks.

Ensure the brooder house is made ready at least 2 days before the arrival of poults with litter covered with newspaper, spaced feeders and drinkers set with infra red bulbs.

Ensure starting temperature of 35⁰C, followed by weekly reduction of 3⁰C per week upto 6 weeks of age.

Establish poults guards of about 2ft to prevent wandering of poults from the heat source hence mitigate risk of chilling.

Shallow water should be used. Dip the beak of each poult one by one if they fail to see drinking water.

Forced feeding should be practices to mitigate risk of starving out.

Feeding of Turkey.

Turkeys are good grazers, whereas good quality feeds and water should be provided in their daily diet. Turkeys utilize a wide range of food sources to satisfy their energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and mineral needs. These include broken maize, brand, brewery wastes, millet, sorghum, rice pollard, fish meal, cotton seed, soya meal, bone meal, blood meal, vegetation, synthetic vitamin supplements.

Nutrient requirements of turkeys with age.

i) Turkey starter (0-8) weeks of age, contains 2900kcal/Kg, (28-30)% Crude protein, 1.2% Calcium, 0.5% Methionine, 1.6% Lysine.

ii) Turkey grower 1 (8-16) weeks of age, contains 3100kcal/Kg, 21% Crude protein, 0.8% Calcium, 0.4% Methionine, 1.3% Lysine.

iii) Turkey grower 2 (16-20) weeks of age, contains 2900kcal/Kg, 17% Crude protein,0.7% Calcium, 0.3% Methionine, 0.8% Lysine.

iv) Turkey finisher (20-24) weeks of age, contains 3300kcal/Kg, 14% Crude protein, 0.6% Calcium, 0.3% Methionine, 0.6 Lysine.

v) Breeding turkey >24 weeks of age, contains 2900kcal/Kg, 14% Crude protein, 2.3% Calcium, 0.2% Methionine.

Poults feed and water intake is low due to the poor sight. Therefore measures like painting feeders and drinkers with red attracts poults since they are sensitive to bright colour. Sprinkling of chopped, cooked carrots and egg yolk onto the feed attracts poults and provide essential vitamins to improve eye sight.

Common Health Problems in Turkeys.

1. Starve outs

Starve out problem is one of the major factor for early poult mortality. Special care has to be taken by supplying adequate feeds and water termed as "forced feeding". 

During forced feeding milk should be fed at the rate of 100ml/ litter of water and one boiled egg at the rate of 1egg per 10 poults for the period of 15 days to compensate for the protein and energy requirements of the poults.

Poults can also be attracted to the feed by gentle tapping of the feeder with the finger, coloured marbles/ pebbles placed in the feeder and water will also attract poults.

Dip the beak of each poult one by one in shallow water to sip and recognize the drinkers.

2. Gape worms

These are major problems during the rainy season or wet conditions. Red worms infest the trachea and lungs, causing the bird to gasp for breath. It could led to high mortality rate.

Good litter management helps to control gape worms. 

Earthworms are secondary host of gape worms. Under the run and free range system infected grounds can be treated with Copper Sulphate to destroy earth worms.

Affected turkeys can be treated with Barium antimonyl tartrate which is administered as an inherant.

3. Internal worms.

These include round worms, tape worms, Cecal worms controlled by deworming with fenbendazole approved for round worms and Cecal worms.

Heavy worm infestation in turkey can significantly hinder growth and development due to limited ability to absorb nutrients resulting to stunted growth, reduced egg production, infertility, Anemia and Diarrhea.

Cecal worms Heterakis can transmit the parasite that cause blackhead disease, which can lead to inflammation of the caecum and liver leading to ultimate death.

4. External parasites

These include mites, flies and lice.

Controlled by maintaining a clean environment, good biosecurity to prevent contact of turkeys with rodents, isolation of new turkeys, proper litter management, providing access to dust bath for turkeys to groom, ensuring adequate space and ventilation to minimize over crowding, proper feed management to prevent feed spillage which attracts flies.

Examples of treatment chemicals include; Carbaryl, Malathion, Rabon, Coumaphos, Fipronil, Deltamethin, Permethin.

5. Diseases 

These are the common diseases in turkey Newcastle, Blackhead, Coccidiosis, Aspergillosis, Mycoplasma, Fowl cholera and Nutritional deficiency.

Newcastle disease and Fowl cholera disease can controlled by vaccination.

Chicken should not be reared with turkeys because they are carriers of blackhead disease. Turkeys should be medicated with a suitable anti-blackhead drug.

Coccidiostat should be introduced to mitigate risk of Coccidiosis disease. Incase of an outbreak, turkeys should  be treated with Amprol in drinking water.

Ensure proper litter management to avoid mouldy litter to control Aspergillosis disease.

Vaccinate the breeding stock to prevent transmission of mycoplasma to the eggs.

Ensure provision of good quality feeds to mitigate risk of nutritional deficiency.

Facts about turkey meat.

Turkey meat, a good source of protein, is also rich in vitamins (B6, B12, niacin), minerals (phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium), and the essential nutrient choline

Turkey meat is lean.

Turkey meat is rich in essential amino acids and Vitamins like niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

Turkey meat contains Selenium an antioxidant and protects against cancer.

Turkey meat is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and essential fatty acids with low cholesterol.

In conclusion 

Turkey farming is a unique business idea to venture into. Turkeys are good grazers and scavengers feeding on diverse feedstuff hence suitable to incorporate with diverse agricultural enterprise.