FarmGate Hatcheries, leading suppliers of poults for traditional Christmas turkey production, are doubling output of their Super Mini Special poults following the success of the launch last year.
The Super Mini Special has been bred to achieve hens that will meet the demand for 4kg (8.8 lbs) oven-ready turkeys when grown to full maturity from 22 weeks plus.
“It is a wonderful little turkey that will guarantee the 4kg weights which are so hard to get from other small breeds grown from June hatches,” said Paul Kelly, managing director of the Danbury-based hatchery.
“It has been tried and tested, and is perfect for guaranteeing the 4kg oven-ready weight band with stags giving great 6 to 8kg oven-ready turkeys.”
The Super Mini Special has been developed from pure bronze-feathered male and female pedigree lines used in producing the company’s Tiny and Super Mini poult—an essential feature of the breeding program.
The company is offering a range of six different bronze and white breeds based on the Roly Poly, Wrolstad, Plumpy and Broad Breasted Bronze for achieving oven-ready weights of 3 to 11kg, with poults available from May to September.
Poult prices, which were reduced in 2015, are being held at the same level. “The need for continued investment to meet the requirements for more and more audits, along with insurance costs for avian influenza and new pension provisions, have offset the feed price reduction,” added Kelly.
