About Broad-breasted white Turkeys

Broad-Chested White Turkey - It's What's for Thanksgiving Dinner

Broad-breasted white turkeys are the most commonly raised turkey. Mostly likely any turkey you eat on Thanksgiving, or any other time, is a Broad-Breasted white turkey.

Like most commercially raised livestock, they are popular because they are big and efficient. They have the maximum conversion ratio of feed to meat in the shortest possible time (like broiler chicken breeds). However, they are not considered as tasty as other turkeys.

Also, Broad-Breasted White turkeys have shorter breast bones, than most other turkeys, and larger breasts, sometimes rendering them unable to breed without human assistance (typically via artificial insemination).

Broad-Breasted White turkeys are generally raised in large, fully automated grow-out barns, which may house as many as 10,000 birds. The growing process for these birds has been so well refined, the birds often grow to larger than 40 lbs. Average birds are typically 38-40 lbs.

Because of their size, predilection for overeating, and sedentary personalities, they are flightless and prone to health problems associated with obesity, such as heart disease, respiratory failure and joint damage; even if such turkeys are spared from slaughter (such as those involved in the annual turkey pardons), they usually have short lives as a result. Broad Breasted White turkeys also have a very high percentage of their eggs hatch, which makes turkey eggs as a food item a rare delicacy.