2015 Conference - Growing Healthy Heritage Turkeys

Growing Healthy Heritage Turkeys
Deutscher's Turkey Farm
Dadswell Bridge, Victoria
23 - 25 May 2015

Programme and Presentations

Welcome & overview of program – Daryl Deutscher – President of AHTSI
Keynote address – Megg Miller – ‘A Turkey Legacy’
Grant Richards – ‘Avoiding Heat Problems in Turkeys’.
Grant Richards – ‘Incubation & Hatching’
Greg Connors – ‘Turkey nutrition’
Katherine Kruk - ‘Blackhead control with Protophyt’
Yoni Segal - Bio-Security for Turkey Properties

Megg Miller, Editor of Australasian Poultry, gave the Keynote address entitled "A Turkey Legacy". In her address, she described early attempts to promote an Australian turkey industry. She shared a number of entertaining stories, as well as her large collection of turkey literature and extensive knowledge.

Greg Connors is the Senior Nutritionist with Ridley Agriproducts. His presentation was on the how and why of turkey nutrition.

Dr. Yoni Segal spoke convincingly about biosecurity. Download his powerpoint presentation here. He also conducted a post-mortem on a young turkey. Dr Segal has worked as a poultry veterinarian and production specialist with over 25 years of experience in the poultry industry. In 2012 he joined the Department of Primary Industries (DEDJTR) of Victoria in the position of Principal Veterinary Officer for Poultry and Emerging diseases.

During the farm walk, participants were shown how to artificially inseminate (AI) a turkey hen, first by collecting the semen from a mature male and then inseminating the hen with that semen.

Dr. Grant Richards (Allfarm Animal Health) was very entertaining in his delivery of helpful advice on two important topics: Avoiding Heat Problems in Turkeys and Hatching and Incubation.

Katherine Kruk, representing BEC Feed Solutions, spoke enthusiastically about her particular area of interest - the development of innovative animal nutrition & health solutions, including natural ingredients, to combat diseases such as Blackhead. 

Steve Kidman described how he has developed a new variety of turkey - the Blue Palm - which is breeding true.

Reflections on the conference:
"a unique opportunity to network"; "an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful smorgasbord of [turkey] varieties through the field walks at Deutscher's Turkey Farm"; "a great impetus for writing new standards [for later inclusion in the Australian Poultry Standards]".