Show Prospects for Turkey Raising aising R Appear Bright The turkey industry in Utah and other ther western states shook off of the thed d dark ark rk shroud of depression in 1934 and laid ald the ground work of what promises to be a new day of better busIness With general conditions constantly constantly constantly con con- improving 1935 should see Seea a return to something like the good old Id days when a turkey gobbler was vas a Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday necessity in every household and nd brought a reasonably profitable price Utah's turkey industry in the seaon season season sea- sea son on just passing enjoyed the best marketing conditions since 1931 The Thanksgiving pool alone returned to producers o of this state and nd this amount should even be exceeded exceeded ex- ex ceded by Christmas returns when the he latter iatter pool is computed and final payments made Prices averaged 6 to 7 cents a pound to producers over those paid last ast year and were several cents higher than the return in 1932 For instance early carly prices this year averaged averaged av- av raged between 20 and 22 cents a pound net to the producer on prime young oung birds compared with about 14 4 cents a pound last year on the same ame grades 1934 is 15 Big Biff Year The past marketing season was one I ot of f the largest and most successful in n the Northwestern associations association's five we years of operations At Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving iving alone this regional association returned more than to about member producers in Utah Idaho Idaho Wyoming Montana Colorado Washington Oregon and Nevada the states tates served At Christmas the volme volume volume vol- vol ume me and gross returns promise to be beven even ven higher Utah during the past season proved she le excels In the production of of fine line turkeys Her early pool this season set seta et a phenomenal record by grading 96 6 5 per cent prime in face of the ob ob- raised by the drouth and resulting re- re suiting feed shortage This accomplishment probably a worlds world's record for Cor or turkey quality on a mass maR production Lion tion on basis was attained through a time longtime program of education and instruction carried on among the turkey growers of the state by th thee th Utah lah Poultry Producers' Producers cooperative association the state department of ot agriculture and v va various a ri o 0 u s 5 county agents The dollars and cents importance of ot producing hl high h quality turkeys is readily seen wh when n i is considered that prime birds bring the producers several cents a pound more than those in the under grades Furthermore Furthermore Furthermore Further Further- more the prime turkeys arc the best besl bestsellers bestsellers sellers regardless of price The ability of oC Utah turkey ra raisers ers to produce highest quality birds will wm serve them in gp good d stead in the years to come and particularly when the return o of more normal general conditions place an extra premium on quality Sch Science nce Enters The growing of turkeys it might well veil be explained has graduated from the haphazard methods of years earB gone by to a scientific business The mortality rate in the turkey flock has decreased from 50 per cent and higher to 10 per cent or less and the quality has correspondingly im im- im- im proved Lower expense in handling and the great reduction in losses have effected savings that are being and andl will continue to be passed on to the consumer so that turkey turkey once once considered a luxury that only the rich could enjoy enjo will enjoy r will remain within the reach of the mosses masses An import important mt trend in the turkey industry which is becoming more more find and more noticeable is the tendency to eat cat turkey meat the year round A rather large percentage of ot the annual annual an nual gobbler production of ot Utah and surrounding states is placed in freezers for consumption in the off off- production months from March to October The great bulk of f. f this storage storage storage stor stor- age turkey is served at hotels cafes cates and restaurants now but there appears appears appears ap ap- pears to be an increasing demand for this meat meaL on the part of ot the housewife in many sections ot ol the country LogIcally LogIcally Logically Log Log- developed eloped this this- tendency holds great possibilities for swelling the annual consumption of or turkey meat The Northwestern Turkey Growers Growers' Growers Growers' Grow Grow- ers ers' association was organized early in 1930 tp market cooperatively the turkeys export exported d from the tle western states It has cooperative marketing organizations as members in t the te e vanous various various vari- vari van vari ous states served and today is thought to be the worlds world's largest turkey marketing cooperative |