| Turkey occupies an important position next to chicken, | | | | Turkey is a large gallinaceous bird of the family |
| duck. Guinea fowl and quail in contributing the most | | | | Meleagridae that is native of North America, |
| evolving sector, which is playing a significant role in | | | | domesticated in Europe and are now important source |
| augmenting the economic and nutritional status of | | | | of food in many parts of the world. Columbus took |
| varied population. They form almost two percent of | | | | specimens to Spain in 1948. Reports on turkey were |
| the total poultry population. They are reared for meat | | | | there in Germany in 1530 and in England by 1541. |
| only and its meat is the leanest among other domestic | | | | The first president of the United States of America, |
| avian species. | | | | George Washington, issued a general proclamation |
| Turkey farming is very popular in western countries | | | | in1789 to celebrate "thanksgiving" on November 26. In |
| and the major turkey producing countries are United | | | | 1893 President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of |
| States of America, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, | | | | November a national thanksgiving holiday. Later it was |
| Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The Annual per | | | | changed to the fourth Thursday of November. |
| capita consumption of turkey meat in the above said | | | | However, turkey is synonymous with Christmas. |
| countries ranges from 4-8 kg per year. Turkey | | | | Turkeys are not classified into breeds, however seven |
| population touched 259 millions in 1992. The estimated | | | | standard varieties are available, Bronze, White Holland, |
| world turkey meat production in 2004 is 4.94 million | | | | Bourbon red, Narragansett, Black, Slate, Beltsville small |
| tones. | | | | white. |