Free range turkeys performed tremendously well in 2024, according to Co. Armagh–based producer, Andrew Gardiner.
The excellent weather at the back end had a lot to do with it, according to Gardiner.
“The birds spent most of the daylight hours outside during the months of September, October and November.
“This gave them the best of all rearing options. They have the choice of staying indoors or roaming outdoors at all times. It also meant they were easier to pluck because of the reduced dirt levels within their feathers,” he added.
Gardiner farms close to the village of Caledon in south-west Co. Armagh. He buys in 1,000-day-old turkey poults midway through June each year.
“The birds come from a hatchery in Essex, a mix of hens and stags. I work with three different breed types. The hens kill out in the range 12 to 20 pounds. The equivalent figures for the stags are 20 to 35 pounds.
“The kill out figure for the birds is in the region of 70%. We use a converted shed on the farm to house them. However, they have access to outdoor paddocks at all times,” he said.
Gardiner sells Christmas turkeys direct from the farm. He also supplies a selection of local butchers’ shops.
Free range turkeys
The feedback from his customers regarding the quality of the turkeys produced in 20204 has been excellent.
“Everyone was very happy with the eating quality of the birds.
“Feed and labour are the main costs associated with the turkey enterprise. A team of four people is required to pluck and dress the turkeys during December.
“I normally run 20 or so birds through into the New Year for people who like to have turkey at Easter,” he said.
“The plan is to maintain the current level of throughout within the business. I commit to producing high quality turkeys, which customers will come back for year-after-year.
“The birds complement the other enterprises on the farm. Managing the young turkeys effectively is critically important,” he added.
According to Teagasc, newly-hatched turkeys need an incubator temperature of 38 °C. Because of their inability to maintain body heat (due to lack of feathering) they must be placed in draught-free surroundings of 37°C for the first day.
The temperature is then reduced by 0.5°C per day until they are approximately five-weeks-of-age. At this stage, they are sufficiently well feathered to be able to thrive without the aid of artificial heat.
