What Is Wiping Out Turkey Flocks – Epi-3872
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Today we are joined by CJ Lafferty to discuss blackhead disease, one of the most destructive and frustrating problems facing anyone raising turkeys on pasture. After losing nearly half of his flock for two years in a row, CJ decided he was not going to accept those losses as inevitable. He began observing, experimenting, and testing practical management changes that a small farmer or homesteader could actually use.
We will dig into what blackhead disease is, how it spreads, why it is so difficult to eliminate, and why many of the common assumptions about it are wrong. CJ will share the changes that appeared to dramatically reduce mortality on his farm, along with practical steps people can take before bringing turkeys onto their property.
We will also discuss the Northeast SARE Farmer Grant CJ received to study two management practices over a three year period. The project will track mortality, growth rates, feed conversion, and total flock performance. This is not internet theory or a collection of random opinions. It is farmer led research designed to produce useful data from real conditions on a working farm.
CJ is the co owner of Skyline Pastures in central Pennsylvania, where he and his wife, Tanya, produce grass fed and grass finished beef, forest raised pork, and pastured poultry. He also serves full time as an Army Chief Warrant Officer, proving that a profitable regenerative farm can be built alongside a demanding career. CJ previously joined us to discuss grant writing, and today we will see how that knowledge turned into a funded research project that may help small farmers, homesteaders, and pasture poultry producers avoid devastating losses.
Resources for today’s show…
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