Turkey’s poultry industry is gaining more and more popularity. As a business, this is a fairly profitable business. However, you should understand everything in great detail. At home, as well as on household plots and on private large farms, turkeys, breeding of which is not very difficult, feel great.
This bird is most appreciated for diet meat, which is very juicy and tasty. Therefore, for some novice businessmen, growing it can turn into a great way to generate income.
Not chickens, but turkeys
The breeding of this bird began in America. There she was domesticated about ten centuries ago. In Europe, the turkey bird came only in the sixteenth century, after the fourth voyage of Columbus. When this traveler was approaching the American coast, he was sure that it was India. Apparently, therefore, this American large bird was called so. A turkey or a turkey is a beautiful and majestic representative of birds, however, flightless.
This bird loves freedom and large space very much. The majestic and at the same time the largest and most powerful domestic representative of birds, the modern turkey (breeding and keeping it requires certain knowledge and skills) is more calm and slow than its wild ancestors.
Description
The process of domestication of this bird entailed the creation of a large number of new breeds, which differ from each other mainly in plumage color and mass.
Despite the meat orientation of turkeys, eggs, down and feather are also appreciated. Their carcasses contain more than fifty percent meat, about fifteen - subcutaneous fat and more than ten - internal.
Turkeys, the cultivation of which on an industrial scale in order to obtain eggs is unprofitable, are characterized by rapid growth with minimal expenditure on feed.
Bird characteristics
Like chickens, turkeys are considered to be big-legged. However, they do not rake the ground with their feet and do not graze like the last. Turkeys feel good on pastures and field crops, which do not damage, because they do not dig their limbs anywhere. There they run around and find the right food.
Anatomical structure
Legs of turkeys, long and strong, are adapted to overcome sufficiently large distances. The structure of the legs is very interesting , especially the rapidly growing tibia, forearm and lower leg. In the ankles of a turkey are strong and hard bones, which make it possible to carry a large body mass, overcoming fairly long distances. The muscles on the legs of this bird contain a lot of zinc, which perfectly strengthens bones and tendons. That is why its meat in the human diet is an excellent source of this element.
Breeds
There are a great many breeds of turkeys. These are white broad-breasted, and heavy Big-6, and BYuT-8, etc. Many of them were artificially withdrawn. One of the most popular are the broad-breasted white turkeys, whose homeland is considered the United States of America.
This breed is characterized by high meat characteristics, a sufficient growth rate and good egg production. However, white turkeys, the breeding of which requires the creation of certain conditions, are very demanding in terms of feeding.
In this breed, experts distinguish three varieties of females: light, heavy and medium. Their main differences are reproductive qualities and meat precocity.
Another breed - the North Caucasian bronze - has been known among domestic poultry farmers for a long time. It is highly adaptable to grazing land. The broad body of the bronze turkey is elongated, with plumage lying close to the body.
Breeding
Of course, turkeys are not as popular in the market as, for example, chickens, but their meat is also in high demand. Moreover, this indicator is growing every year, especially in megacities.
Breeding turkeys (as a business) can be started by evaluating the demand for these products. The easiest way is to go to grocery markets and ask in the meat departments how many birds they sell per day. In addition, it is necessary to present the level of competition, and also to study the question of how turkeys are sold, the price of which is considerable. If in this region there is already a large poultry farm, then it is unlikely to compete with it. Therefore, it would be better to leave this venture and switch to something else. If you still decide to do this, you will need to register as a private entrepreneur and choose a system for taxation.
Premises
There are two types of turkey breeding - in the open air under a canopy and in specially equipped rooms. The first option is suitable only for residents of warm regions. In general, turkeys without any problems withstand fairly low temperature conditions - up to fifteen degrees below zero. However, it will still be better if they are kept in comfortable conditions. Therefore, a well-equipped turkey farm is the best option. This is also worth considering.
And in the summer, when the temperature outside rises to fifteen or more degrees, turkeys, breeding and keeping of which require certain expenses, are transferred to open air - with cages and with a canopy above them.
Livestock
In each pen you need to adhere to a certain number of birds. Livestock can be divided according to the age principle. It is not recommended to keep more than fifteen birds in one cage, two birds - about 10, and older - about 5 birds.
Taking into account the fact that the temperature regime should be maintained, it is necessary to take into account not only the cost of heating, but also the maximum insulation of the walls of the room in order to be able to save at least a little in the future.
Market analysis
Like any other type of business, breeding turkeys also requires some investment. A business plan should clearly define the types of products. It is noteworthy that there are quite a lot of chickens and broilers on the shelves today. There is a lot of competition in this poultry industry. Whereas the turkey in the shops can be seen not always and not everywhere, and this means that there is no one to compete with here especially. Nevertheless, a novice businessman must definitely determine the marketing strategy for his products.
The manufacturer can offer the consumer the following types of goods: eggs and offal, feathers and fluff and, of course, meat. It is possible to deliver products not only to the distribution network, but also to workshops involved in the manufacture of semi-finished products, to meat processing plants or sold through our own retail network.
The key to success of a newly established farm will largely depend on a correctly drawn up business plan. In general, according to experts, the breeding of this large poultry differs from all other types of agricultural activity: in this case, a very high payback.
The main stages of the process
In addition to the premises, in order to successfully grow turkeys, a novice businessman will need to take into account a number of important requirements, without which it is impossible to achieve the normal functioning of this enterprise.
The main stages of the process are as follows:
• Equipment of the premises with all necessary communications, such as electricity and ventilation, water supply. In addition, it is necessary to install heating devices.
• Establishing an automatic supply of water, and if there is such an opportunity, then feed: this is done in order to minimize the number of personnel working on the farm, which means that they can significantly save on salaries.
• Ensuring regular cell cleaning: maintain maximum cleanliness.
• Equipment for a special area for poultry walking.
• The presence of a competent certified veterinarian who will constantly monitor the condition of the turkeys and begin to treat them at the first symptoms of the disease, preventing a massive death.
• A selection of only high-quality food: experts recommend giving as little as possible (or eliminating it altogether) various additives that are positioned to accelerate the growth of chicks.
Observing all these basic and very important rules, the future entrepreneur will be able to establish the normal operation of his small enterprise, the profile of which will be the breeding of turkeys.
Where to buy young animals?
It needs to be purchased only in special incubators. This is either specialized large enterprises that cooperate with many farms, or small private firms that breed certain breeds of turkey.
But despite the fact that in such private firms it is really possible to buy quality stock cheaply, specialists advise to turn to larger scammers. This will allow to decide in the future, when selling eggs or meat, the issue of a quality certificate and a veterinary agreement. As practice shows, it is in cooperation with such large incubators that there are fewer problems when preparing the relevant documentation.
It is necessary to take into account the fact that adult individuals differ in mass: this characteristic depends on the breed of young animals. They are divided into:
- lungs, the females of which weigh five, and the males - about ten kilograms;
- medium: seven and ten, respectively;
- heavy - 15 and 31 kg.
The first two varieties of birds are the most popular and popular.
Factory and feed equipment
Starting to grow turkeys, you must first purchase a standard kit. It should include incubators and drinkers, cages with feeders, heaters and lamps, as well as thermometers. All this provides normal conditions for growing turkeys. A special item in the business plan is the item of expenses, that is, those funds that will be used to purchase feed and mineral additives.
The use of the most modern technologies will allow the future businessman to mechanize his production, as well as create conditions for the life of this poultry that will help to obtain only high-quality products. It is very important to think in advance about what to feed the turkeys and how to care for them. After all, the quality of meat and the number of eggs depend on this.
But unfortunately, modern mechanized equipment is quite expensive. And this means that not every aspiring entrepreneur is able to afford it.
As for feed, then, in addition to them, turkeys need vitamins. Do not save on this component in their diet, because these birds are quite "capricious".
Therefore, when developing a business plan, special attention should be paid to the natural mortality of birds. On average, ten to fifteen percent of the goals do not live to maturity.
Staff
To ensure the normal maintenance of turkeys, the future farmer will need to hire a livestock specialist, a veterinarian, as well as a manager, a sales manager and a driver, who will have to deliver the goods to a variety of trading points. The number of workers, of course, primarily depends on the scale of activity and on the number of livestock.
Business plan
To be able to soberly assess the profitability of the newly opened enterprise, a novice entrepreneur needs to analyze all possible costs and revenues.
The cost item will need to include the cost of renting the premises and utility bills, repairs on a future farm, employee salaries, the purchase and installation of the necessary equipment, advertising, the purchase of feed and multivitamins, and the preparation of all necessary documentation. When calculating the income in the business plan, you need to consider the average revenue and the monthly profit from breeding this bird.
conclusions
Growing turkeys is a fairly profitable business, the profitability of which is about one hundred or even one hundred and fifty percent. However, there are certain risks, for example, livestock diseases, which can cause huge losses. That's why you need to buy only high-quality young stock: a turkey, the price of which seems very favorable, may eventually be defective - sick or unsuitable for maintenance. In addition, a good veterinarian must work on the farm.