The Composition of Turkeys of Different Varieties and Strains

Variety as a Factor in Fleshing, Fatness and Edible Quality of Turkeys

“…This result was apparently due to the higher fat content in leg than in breast muscle reported by Harshaw et al (1943) and Cook et al (1949). Among the different variety and sex groups, the quality, or richness, of the juice in the breast did not vary greatly, as would be expected from the similarity in their chemical composition reported by Harshaw et al (1943); leg varied more than breast in richness of juice. Among the different variety and sex groups, the quality, or richness, of the juice in the breast did not vary greatly, as would be expected from the similarity in their chemical composition reported by Harshaw et al (1943); leg varied more than breast in richness of juice.…”

“…The turkeys included 6 in 1940 and 6 in 1941 from each variety and sex group analyzed by Harshaw et al (1943). The same all-mash starting and growing diets described by Harshaw et al (1943) were fed to all groups.…”

“…According to Harshaw et al (1943), the chemical composition of the raw breast muscle in the different varieties and strains showed little variation. The water content was between 73 and 74 percent in most cases, and the fat content in general between 1 and 2 percent, averaging slightly more than 1 percent.…”

Measuring Strain Differences in the Conformation of Turkeys

“…Jaap (1941) failed to find differences in percentage of flesh in favor of such a wide-breasted breed as the Cornish. In turkeys, however, Harshaw, Kellogg, Rector, and Marsden (1943) report that turkeys from a broadbreasted strain of Bronze had a higher percentage of breast muscle than other strains. The differences between birds of the same strain in different years approached the differences between strains in the same year.…”

Yield of Cooked Edible Portion of Turkey According to Sex, Age, Fatness, and Breast Type

“…They concluded that between 28 and 32 weeks the gain in weight was mainly fat, and as a result the percentage of raw muscle (total of breast, leg, and other) was depressed when calculated on the New York dressed weight basis. Data of Harshaw et al (1943) indicated that the content of raw muscle in proportion to New York dressed weight was smaller at 30 weeks than at 28 in Broad Breasted Bronze, standardbred Bronze, and White Holland males and females, with the exception of standardbred Bronze females which were very slightly heavier in muscle at 30 weeks. Data on Beltsville Small White turkeys were reported only for birds 28 weeks of age.…”