Slaughtering of turkey involves four main stages,scalding, plucking eviscerating, and chilling. Different equipment is used in each of these stages with a well-established quality control system. However, the butchering of turkey is just the last stage in commercial turkey farming.

What happens to turkeys when they are raised in factories?

Many turkeys don’t even make it past the first few weeks of life on a factory farm before succumbing to “starve-out,” a stress-induced condition that causes young birds to stop eating. Turkeys are bred, drugged, and genetically manipulated to grow as large as possible as quickly as possible to increase profits.

How are turkeys transported to slaughterhouses?

First, the turkeys are herded into trailers for transport from the pastures where they were raised to the slaughtering and processing area across the road. You carry the birds one by one to the slaughtering rig. The trick is to grab them above the knees and flip them upside down—this seemed to chill them out significantly.

How many turkeys are slaughtered each year?

But as component products of a factory-farm system, nearly 300 million turkeys endure overcrowded conditions in contrived, colossal bodies just to be killed within their first six months of life. 46 million of these bright, social birds are slaughtered each year in the United States for Thanksgiving alone.

Are factory-raised turkeys legal?

Virtually all spend their entire lives on factory farms and have no federal legal protection. Turkeys raised on factory farms are hatched in large incubators and never see their mothers or feel the warmth of a nest.

HOW ARE TURKEYS FARMED?

They stick together in flocks with their family and friends as they spend their days foraging, then flying up to sleep in the trees at night. Many people are not aware that turkeys can not only fly at high speeds, but they can also run and even swim—versatility that is comparable to any triathlon athlete.

HOW LONG DO TURKEYS LIVE?

Wild turkeys have been known to live for a decade. However, on factory farms, lifespans are considerably shorter—so much so that birds can still be considered very young despite their adult-sized bodies. While slaughter ages differ depending upon the sex, generally turkeys do not make it past 5 months of age.

WHAT DO FARM-RAISED TURKEYS EAT?

In factory farms, diets are far more constrained. Turkeys are fed processed grain and legumes, such as corn and soy.

WHY SHOULDN’T WE EAT TURKEY?

Awareness of the negative impacts turkey farming has on local communities, farmworkers (who are predominantly Black and Brown people), and the turkeys themselves has been growing, compelling increasing numbers of people to leave turkey off the dinner table.

HOW ARE TURKEYS SLAUGHTERED ON FACTORY FARMS?

Birds who are considered poultry, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, are all excluded from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which is federal legislation meant to ensure animals die in the most painless ways possible. This is a massive omission, as an estimated 9 billion chickens are killed in the US each year.

Can turkeys get injured in the slaughterhouse?

When it comes time to collect full-grown turkeys from the barns to bring them to the slaughterhouse, turkeys face yet more potential for injury. Birds are forced into small containers, resulting in broken wings and other appendages.

Can turkeys be bred to be large?

Factory-farmed turkeys, like broiler chickens, have been bred to grow unnaturally large. Today’s turkeys are so heavy that they could never take to the air, even if they were given the opportunity.

How does a turkey slaughter rig work?

You put the bird in upside down, pull its head through a hole cut in the bottom, and then cut through the arteries in its neck. After a few (admittedly, long) seconds, the turkey stops struggling, bleeds out, and is ready to be processed.

What is a Tom’s plucker?

Tom’s plucker is sized for chickens, so working with the much larger turkeys had its challenges.

How to chill out a bird?

You carry the birds one by one to the slaughtering rig. The trick is to grab them above the knees and flip them upside down —this seemed to chill them out significantly. It did not, however, have the same effect on me.

How long do you soak a turkey in water?

After it’s bled out, you dunk the bird in a 145-degree water bath for a minute or so to loosen its feathers for plucking. A dozen or so birds into the process, the water bath begins to smell like the rankest turkey broth you’ve (thankfully, never) had.

Who is Tom Warren?

Tom Warren, who has been raising all kinds of livestock on his land for close to 20 years, had agreed to let us take part in the annual pre-Thanksgiving turkey slaughter. Every year, Tom hosts a crew of local volunteers who help process hundreds of birds in exchange for a turkey for their own table and a warming lunch provided by Tom’s wife, Denise.

How to get rid of scree and guts?

To loosen leftover guts and scree, spray running cold water through the hollowed cavities . Doing this in a spookily lit old milk house is optional.

How to find a bird’s last meal?

Spin the bird around and make a triangle opening, point at top, about two inches above the neck. Scoop out the throat and heart and other organs. In the translucent sack you’ll find the bird’s last meal, fresh grass.

What does a turkey smell like?

The freshly dead and slightly boiled bird smells moist and putrid, like a dead mouse rotting in a wet wall.

Can you throw a bird in the freezer?

The feathers and guts and heads all need to be disposed of lest you attract varmints. After that, throw the bird directly in the freezer… or the oven.

Do you cut through a turkey’s feet before dressing?

Sever the bird’s feet before dressing. Cutting through the knuckle is tough; don’t let the knife slip. A large turkey’s taloned feet are meaty and gnarled. The U.S. poultry industry is the leading supplier of king-size chicken feet to China. Do Turkey feet taste the same?

Can you see farm fresh turkey in the supermarket?

You don’t see it in the supermarket, but the gruesome craftsmanship that brings a farm-fresh bird to the Thanksgiving table is about as manly as can be.

Why do birds cut their beaks off?

To keep the birds from killing one another in such stressful, crowded conditions, parts of their toes and beaks are cut off, as are the males’ snoods. (The snood is the flap of skin under the chin.) All this is done without any pain relievers. Imagine having the skin under your chin chopped off with a pair of scissors.

How much does a turkey weigh today?

In 1960, average turkeys raised for meat weighed about 17 pounds. Today, they weigh 30 pounds.

What does it mean to go vegan?

After just a month, many people report feeling healthier and more energetic. Most of all, going vegan means saving animals from cruelty.

Do turkeys live on factory farms?

Virtually all spend their entire lives on factory farms and have no federal legal protection. Turkeys raised on factory farms are hatched in large incubators and never see their mothers or feel the warmth of a nest.

Can turkeys reproduce naturally?

Turkeys are now so obese that they can’t reproduce naturally; instead, the majority of the birds who are born in the United States today on factory farms are conceived through artificial insemination.

What is the step 7 of chicken testing?

After chickens are chilled, microbiological tests to further ensure food safety are conducted on equipment and products at chicken plants by companies and by the USDA. This includes tests for microorganisms such as Salmonella.

Why do chickens get calm?

In a matter of seconds, the chickens become calm due to “rub bars,” which provide a comforting sensation on the chicken’s chest. This, combined with low lighting, is used to keep birds calm. In modern poultry processing plants, every attempt is made so that chickens are processed quickly and painlessly. First, they are rendered unconscious and …

How do you keep chickens calm?

In a matter of seconds, the chickens become calm due to “rub bars,” which provide a comforting sensation on the chicken’s chest. This, combined with low lighting, is used to keep birds calm.

What is the process of eviscerating a chicken?

This is necessary in order to prepare the bird for processing. This begins by putting the chicken through a bath of hot water, which is designed to help loosen feathers.

Why are chickens transferred to holding cages?

During this process, chickens are transferred into holding cages or modular bins, specifically designed for transport to the processing plant, aimed to ensure that birds don’t hurt themselves or other birds, and that air is able to circulate. To help explain the rest of how chickens are slaughtered and processed for meat in greater detail, …

How far away do chickens go to the processing plant?

This trip is typically less than 60 miles away, so the birds don’t travel long distances.

How hot should chicken be cooked?

As a reminder, all chicken is safe to eat when it is properly handled and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. While the industry goes to great lengths to control microorganisms responsible for foodborne illness before chicken products leave the plant, it’s equally important for consumers to adhere to these very simple cooking instructions to ensure overall food safety.

How many turkeys are slaughtered in the US?

The number of turkeys slaughtered annually in the US peaked at just over 300 million in 1996 and has declined steadily ever since, to 229 million in 2019—the lowest level since 1986. However, over the same period since 1996, the amount of turkey meat produced has held relatively steady at 7.5 billion pounds.

Why do turkeys have sharp beaks?

Crowding puts turkeys at risk of injury—their sharp beaks and toes concern producers because they can damage the value of the birds’ flesh. Part of the sensitive, nerve-filled beak is either cut off using a hot blade or shears, or burned off using electrodes and high-voltage current.

Why do wild turkeys fly into trees at night?

Wild turkeys fly into trees at night to roost together.

How many turkeys are killed in the first six months?

But as component products of a factory-farm system, nearly 300 million turkeys endure overcrowded conditions in contrived, colossal bodies just to be killed within their first six months of life. 46 million of these bright, social birds are slaughtered each year in the United States for Thanksgiving alone.

What was Chalchiuhtotolin’s human form called?

Chalchiuhtotolin took at least two corporeal forms. In his human form, called Tezcatlipoca, he promoted self-punishment and self-destruction—but when appearing as a “bejeweled” or “emerald fowl,” or “jade turkey,” he wielded the power to eradicate sins. ~1400 CE. At the Beginning of the Navajo.

How much does a turkey weigh?

Between 1960, when the USDA began keeping such statistics, and 2018, the average weight of a domestic turkey at slaughter more than doubled—from 15.1 pounds to 31.1 pounds. As with similar trends in different livestock animals, such growth depends on extremely selective breeding practices that can only be achieved via systematic artificial insemination, since such breeding seems to produce turkeys too big to breed naturally.

Why did the Zuni keep turkeys?

The Zuni people, as described by Coronado’s expedition, kept turkeys to harvest feathers to fabricate clothing and adornment.