BIG (Big-6) is one of the most common breeds of turkeys for both home raising and breeding in industrial complexes, it belongs to the heavy crosses of turkeys.

History: the ancestor of the breed is the company BritishUnitedTurkeysLimited, which is currently a trademark owned by AviagenTurkeysLimited. The purpose of selection was to create a turkey with a high rate of precocity.

Advantages of genotype:

  • heavy cross of broiler turkeys. Males gain weight up to 35 kg, females up to 20;
  • attractive appearance of the carcass. White plumage, light skin allow you to get a neat, clean carcass -after slaughter;
  • strong legs;
  • high precocity. They gain 4.5 kg at the age of three months and grow fully by six months old;
  • white down, which is highly valued by harvesters for lightness and thermal conductivity;
  • high slaughter yield. Slaughter yield of meat from Big 6 turkey carcass is 80%. The slender skeleton often does not withstand such body weight and broiler turkeys begin to have bone problems.

Exterior: This is a massive bird with a small head and a well-built body. White plumage with a small black tuft of down on the chest. Strong and wide chest (they account for 30% of the carcass weight) and strong legs. The breed characteristic of turkeys is the complete cessation of their growth up to 90-100 days, when they are usually slaughtered.

Features of the keeping: semi-outdoor keeping is suitable for Big 6 cross. The bird is sensitive to cold and drafts, so it is recommended for growing in the warm season. The main conditions for successful raising of Big turkeys: comfortable temperature, dry cage, unlimited free access to water and the presence of ventilated air.