News

2 MAY 2007

NEW TURKEY BOOK : 'NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS'

'Not Just for Christmas -The Complete Guide to Raising Turkeys'
by Janice Houghton – Wallace

ISBN 978-1-904871-18-7
Hardback 160 pages. Over 80 colour pictures. Retail price £20

Aimed at the small scale producer this comprehensive book, written by a leading expert in the field, covers all aspects of raising turkeys for pleasure or profit.

If ever there was a bird that has served man well since its inception it has to be the turkey. For centuries it has been kept for the quality of its meat and its decorative feathering. The Aztecs recognised its worth and held festivals in order to induce good fertility each spring. Seven hundred years later the turkey still plays a significant role in providing meat but there is also a growing acceptance that the turkey deserves a higher profile as a majestic and colourful bird in its own right and should be valued as such.

Today these birds are living gene banks. The standard turkey, although not as heavily muscled as the broad-breasted commercial birds, has shown a higher level of immunity to disease and stress over its commercial counterparts. They are far more acclimatised to free-range systems and, with the current greater interest in how food is reared the standard turkey is once again enjoying a revival, the demand for the slower growing produce from the older varieties of turkey mirrors that same demand for rare breed cattle, sheep and pigs. Couple this with a growth in the number of people buying a house with some land and the increasing interest in keeping a few turkeys soon becomes apparent.

Supported by over 150 photographs the book covers :

• History

• Breeds

• Housing

• Equipment

• Breeding

• Feeding and development

• Diseases and ailments

• Legislation

• Sales and marketing

• Processing and despatching for the table

• Pets and exhibition birds

Janice Houghton-Wallace is a well-known figure in the poultry world and is active in championing pure-breeds at national and international level. She is the founder of the Turkey Club of Great Britain.

'Not Just for Christmas - The Complete Guide to Raising Turkeys'
Published by Farming Books and Videos Ltd Unit 110, Oyston Mill, Strand Road, Preston, PR1 8UR
t : 01772 652693  e : info@farmingbooksandvideos.com   w : www.farmingbooksandvideos.com

NEWS ARCHIVE

09 MAR 07 : NEW PRESIDENT FOR TURKEY CLUB UK

05 FEB 07 : AVIAN INFLUENZA IN SUFFOLK

20 DEC 06 : METHODS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE HUMANE SLAUGHTER OF POULTRY ON-FARM

21 NOV 06 : NEW ANIMAL TRANSPORT REGULATIONS IN 2007

21 JUL 06 : PROTECT TURKEYS IN A HEATWAVE

10 APR 06 : AVIAN INFLUENZA CONCERN AND THE CARE OF TURKEYS

06 APR 06 : AVIAN INFLUENZA IN SCOTLAND

10 FEB 06 : GREAT BRITAIN POULTRY REGISTER