Sakon Nakhon farmers start raising turkeys, prepare for ASEAN markets

SAKON NAKHON, 16 September 2015, (NNT) - Sakon Nakhon rice farmers who raise turkeys during their free time, are preparing to increase supply for a growing demand from local and ASEAN markets.

A turkey producer in Phon Na Kaeo district told the media that turkeys in the area are free range, saying the approach helps in reducing costs. Turkeys being raised this way are healthy and far less stressed.

According to the producer, the demand for turkey is not limited to consumption, saying many would pay 2,000 - 2,500 baht just to have a decorative turkey. Now turkey raisers in Ban Nong Krabok in Sakon Nakhon have formed a group promoting turkey farming among rice farmers in the province.

They said turkey is of growing popularity in Thailand, adding that the product could also penetrate markets in Laos and Vietnam with the support of the government.

-- NNT 2015-09-16

From Thaivisa

A new idea a decrative turkey and only 2 to 2500 baht. Soi dog meals on the run. Maybe promote tom turkey fight like the fighting chickens. The loser at least gets enough meat for extended family set down meal.

I think I will pass on this investment even if as requested the Thai government supported it. That is the liss of death right there.

A new idea a decrative turkey and only 2 to 2500 baht. Soi dog meals on the run. Maybe promote tom turkey fight like the fighting chickens. The loser at least gets enough meat for extended family set down meal.

I think I will pass on this investment even if as requested the Thai government supported it. That is the liss of death right there.

Marketed for the farang ghetto of CNX.

Hope they aren't as skinny and stringy as the chickens raised this way.

Hope they aren't as skinny and stringy as the chickens raised this way.

They are not really skinny but they are even stringier than the range chickens. Certainly not fit to eat. We had a flock of them and finally nearly gave them away. My brother in law made laap from one and it was hardly edible. I BBQ'd a young tom and it was so tough that we couldn't eat it. That was the first one we tried. Ducks are far better to raise and better eating.

Fortunately a Thai farmer came and asked how much we wanted for a mated pair. I told my wife to ask him to make an offer for the whole flock. It wasn't much of an offer but it was good enough.

2500b.....I will stick with Butterball and Norbest for 165 b/ kilo........

Thai turkeys are certainly no threat to the Butterball brand. I could tell a lot of stories of how it is to have them free range around the house but I don't like to think about it much less tell the stories. The only story that I like was that we had a huge Muscovy male duck that hated the turkeys. He attacked the big tom turkey whenever he saw him. There were always more turkey feathers on the ground than duck feathers after the fight. The tom got to the point that he would fly away rather than do battle with the big duck. Yes, the turkeys could fly like regular birds.

Turkeys need a running start or be in a elevated situation to get airborne, then they go into a glide mode of a sort.

They are not capable of substained flight over a long distance as are duck, geese, etc This includes wild turkey

and those raised for domestic commercial (butterball) may cover more distance running than attempting to wing it.

My garage has three meter high walls and a pitched roof. One of the tom turkeys used to perch up on the peak. All of them liked to sit on top of our vehicles. And yes, they scratch the paint.

I have kept turkeys for years. Mine are certainly not scraggy, tough and skinny. Obviously you are not feeding them enough or feeding them the incorrect diet. I feed mine on cooked rice, broken khao san and rice germ (ram). They are completely free range and eat a lot of vegetation grass etc for that reason I can't grow vegetables, the birds love to eat the young shoots.

I agree that I cannot compete with your store bought 'butterball' bird, but these birds are reared in battery conditions and God alone knows what chemicals, growth hormones etc they are fed.

Turkey chicks have a high mortality rate when reared free range, not only do they succumb to disease but are at the mercy of snakes, raptors, ravens and of course BLOODY SOI DOGS!