Turkey Finishing/Processing

lanod2407

Looking for some advice on finishing turkeys.
If I weigh them now at end October, how much more weight should I expect them to gain by around 17 December?
Is there a calculation to convert final live weight to finished bird

Base price

Depending on breed you loose approx 20% on an oven ready bird.

lanod2407

Base price wrote: »

Depending on breed you loose approx 20% on an oven ready bird.

I've a few bronze, and the rest are white

Base price

lanod2407 wrote: »

I've a few bronze, and the rest are white

The bronze will not fatten the same as the white ones. Whites are genetically bred to produce large (double) breast. However I prefer the meat of bronze turkeys, I reckon that it has more flavour than the whites.

lanod2407

Base price wrote: »

The bronze will not fatten the same as the white ones. Whites are genetically bred to produce large (double) breast. However I prefer the meat of bronze turkeys, I reckon that it has more flavour than the whites.

Will the same guidelines apply regarding 20% weight loss ready for the oven?

lanod2407

I've a few turkeys and am looking for a local guy who will kill, pluck and gut them - thought about doing it myself, but TBH I'd probably despatch 4 or 5 of them to a terrible end by the time I got the hang of it!!

So, in the interests of animal welfare can anyone recommend a guy / gal in the Limerick, North Tipp, East Clare area? Probably need to PM me - the mods may not be happy with referrals on the post??!!

Base price

lanod2407 wrote: »

Will the same guidelines apply regarding 20% weight loss ready for the oven?

Yes but you have to consider that there is marked difference between the carcass of a bronze and white turkey.
Both may weigh 20lb dead weight or NYD. NYD is an abbreviation - New York Dressed - which in Irish terms is basically a turkey that has been killed and plucked off its feathers. It still has its head, neck and all internal organs in place.
A 20lb NYD white turkey will kill out better than a bronze - more meat to bone/offal ratio.

lanod2407

Looking at the turkeys this morning - about 5 weeks or so before finishing, and I thought their heads / cob would hVe started to redden up by now - but most are still fairly pale.
They're free range in an orchard and fed ad lib turkey grower ration and corn. Moving to turkey finisher this week.

Anyone know if their head colour should be redder by now and what I need to do??

él statutorio

lanod2407 wrote: »

Any input on this one?

Your local butcher might know of someone who can help?