, 1924-07-30
TURKEYS WILL PAY THE TAXES
SAYS FEDERAL ACRICULTURAL[ST
Farmers of Nevada Projects Having Great
Success in Growing Turkeys
for Market
From the Reclamation Era

From the Reclamation Era
There Is perhaps no other live
stock industry which yields such
large returns in proportion to the
initial investment as turkey grow
ing. according to L. E. Cline. agri-
culturalist on the Newlands irriga-
ton project in Nevada. The short
length of time required to produce
and market the crop also makes
the enterprise attractive in localities
where climate conditions and market
facilities are favorable.
The 27,250 turkey crop on the
Newlands project in 1928 was a
very important cash crop. Altho it
was not considered a major activity
for the project. it furnished a lot
of ready cash to meet operation and
maintenance charges and taxes,
which fall due during the holiday
season.
There is perhaps no other farm
ing industry where the services of
the ranchers family count for so
much as in the growing of turkeys.
In this connection, however, it must
not be inferred that real skill and
knowledge of handling turkeys from
the brood stock to marketing the
new crop is not essential. This is
especially applicable where turkey
growing is a major activity.
Good Stock
The beneficial results of good
breeding stock are more readily ap-
parent with turkey growing thai
with other livestock industries.
Thes beneficial results are produced
and cashed in within one short sea
son. Early maturity and thrifty
hens and gobblers are always re,
growers as a foundation for the
next seasons crop. Local experienc
have shown that it is important to
have the young turkeys ready for
market as early as possible, so that
they may be placed on the first
attractive market available. The
pre-Thankssiving market, as was
the case last year, is very often
the best market and it gives the
grower a big advantage to bet a
part of his crop, at least, off his
hands before the Thanksgiving rush
comes. Early Matched and early
maturing birds are always ready for
the early market and are the most
profitable. 1t is a common observa-
ton hat late Matched turkeys are
less thrifty ones in a large flock
and fare very poorly. and with small
prospects for profitable returns.
Equipment
Fortunately for the Newlands
project rs with most irrigation pro-
jects, the almost rainless spring and
summer months make it unneces-
sary to provide expensive shelter
for turkey growing. Individual
%brooding coops with one compart-
ment made to protect against
stormy weather and predatory an.
imals are placed along levees or in
small alfalfa patches. This is the
principal outlay for equipment. In
order to handle large focks con
veniently, some nave inclosed with
wire a few acres of alfalfa,
so that the young poults may be
given close attention with the least
labor. A roosting corral equipped
with horizontal racks provides adj
equate accommodations for the ma
turing crop.
BlaCkhcad Control
The control of blackhead disease
in turkeys has received much at
tention among the growers of this
project. In spite of heavy losses at
times the growers have persisted in
their endeavors to overcome this
greatest of all handicaps to the
turkey industry. and the fact that
it has been possible to increase the