Show select breeding stock before selling turkeys commercial breeders bleeders bre eders and owners of f farm arm turkey flocks have found that it pays to select breeding stock for the next year before marketing any of the spring turkey flock for thanksgiving byron alder extension at utah state agricultural college says most tarkey producers find it cheaper to select new breeding stock istock each fall the following spring after egg 1 lying liying season the breeder turkeys T are sold to avoid carrying them to the next breeding season ft professor alder recommends recommend suse use of a selection chart prepared by stanley J marsden turkey specialist with the united states slates department part ment of agriculture he advises poultry men to choose birds with broad well fleshed arca irca treats As and legs and good breadth of the back and body the breast bone should be nearly parallel to the back the neck and legs should be reasonably short there should be good length of keel and depth to the body general health and vigor are decidedly important imp orant professor alder says the weight weighs of the birds chosen for breeding sl should be d de e according to the flock managers taste as some strains of turkeys are heavy and others light early maturity regardless of weight is an im important t point to consider when birds are all the same age and if selection tion is made between the ages of 24 and 28 weeks it is not difficult to choose quick ma turing birds breed characteristics should be kept in mind and only birds of standard quality chosen the laying flock should be uniform in color and free of pendulous crops deformed legs cross beaks crooked backs split wings and other deformities professor alder qualifies his suggestions as being only for producers raising birds for marketing those raising show birds and pedigreed stock should follow more rigid rules of selection the next four or five years as a whole is likely to be upward from the relatively low levels of the past several seasons |