Turkey: Turkey Breeding

Soon after the introduction of domesticated turkeys into the British North American colonies, domesticated birds bred with wild turkeys, and new turkey varieties emerged. During the mid-nineteenth century, poulterers deliberately bred turkeys to produce specific traits. Several turkey varieties were elevated to breeding status, including Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Black. Breed clubs developed to foster interest in turkey varieties, and turkey shows were held in the Midwest and the South. The two most important commercial varieties were the medium-sized White Holland, which could be raised close to population centers and sold directly to nearby customers, and the large Bronze, which could be raised at great distances from population centers and then frozen for transportation.