Turkey Farming to improve inner city food security in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dr.Mohammed Habibur Rahman, Professor of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

rahmanmdhabib@gmail.com

Although turkey farming is a big business in the United States of America and in some other parts of the globe, it has yet to be taken its root here in this country. In recent years, some small elite turkey flocks have been found to be growing in the urban and peri-urban setting and it appears to be worth exploring if it may contribute to the generation of jobs and entrepreneurship.

Commercial turkey farming is a profitable business idea. Turkey grows faster likebroiler chickens and Pekin ducks and that become suitable for slaughter purpose within a very short time. Turkey farming for meat production is very popular than egg production from turkey. Although some people keep five to 10 turkeys with a single male in the inner city of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, turkey farming is similar to other poultry birds farming like chickens, ,ducks and quails etc. Turkeys are also very social with humans and raising turkeys is really a good fun and enjoyable. However, basic training to start commercial turkey farming as a business enterprise is not there.

Fig. 1 (Left) & 2 (Right). Inner city turkey farmers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

In Dhaka, it is generally taken as a hobby and all age groups and are interested to grow turkey. Although, Dhaka is regarded as one of the highly populated cities on earth, small space is chosen even and the owner shares his bed room to rear them. There are several turkey breeds that are available, however, their suitability for commercial meat production remains unknown. Lack of Government control on exotic bird imports including turkey, black marketers are active to bring any breed of turkey and sale on a very high price (US $ 5-10/ day-old-chicks) and an egg is sold around US$ 2.0/ egg to have the day-old-chicks using natural brooding. Once they are hatched feed commercial broiler feed, nonetheless grow very slowly.

From my own experience, turkeys can be well managed, if they are fed chick mash and use the water drinker covered by green paper so that they can recognize the water pot. The young may grow well by feeding grower mash up to four months and a mixture of commercial pigeon feed with plenty vegetables. I also give them maize crush, kitchen waste and neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves as greens to clear their nose. Turkeys consume more vegetables than those of chickens and suffer many undiagnosed diseases. Turkeys are delicate and require tender care and require constant watch in the first few weeks to reduce mortality. They are beautiful to watch and are wary about strangers, so they guard the compound. Turkeys have whiter and leaner meat which is less fatty and has a greater delicious flavor and until over three months old; when they are strong and stable. It looks to me as though, within a very short time, turkeys have attracted the customers and along with beef, butchers are keeping live turkey in Dhaka.

Turkeys are on sale in butcher shop.

By and large, the biggest challenge is: as to how to reduce the cost of feed. During dry season, the cost of greens skyrockets thus, it should be wise to formulate new feed items so that they do not starve. Besides, the above, in urban and peri-urban setting, introduction of turkey is indeed a new phenomenon and people are not aware of the public health challenges that may emerge from keeping exotic birds like turkey. The emergence of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Bangladesh led to an increased understanding and awareness of relationship between birds and human health. It encompasses the potentials of trans-boundary animal diseases and emerging infectious diseases on food security, livelihood and poverty reduction. Thus, there is a need for enhancement of veterinary infrastructure in public, private and NGO sector and their capacity for disease surveillance, diagnosis and epidemiological activities related to turkey farming and public health awareness.

One study has shown that unlike poultry, the H5N2 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has affected approximately five percent of the turkey population in the USA.  For the individual producers and companies affected, this is extremely serious.  The impact on the consumer, however, should be minimal.  Thus, any national plan to vaccinate poultry population to combat H5N1, vaccination against H5N2 should also be planned to save turkey population by the Department of Livestock Services, GOB. Furthermore, prevention and control of trans-boundary animal diseases like HPAI requires regionally harmonized and effective early warning system to prevent the spread of diseases.

The one-health approach may be followed to improve the public health situation in the interface of man, animal and environmental context. The extension departments in collaboration with local government and other stakeholders should prepare guidelines and distribute it to the turkey farmers regarding the effects and evils of public health and sanitation.

At my hospital, I have been documenting disease episodes from turkey and have been able to identify the following diseases:

Lameness, distortion at hock. various angulations of leg due to slipped tendon. Very high morbidity

Physical injury due to scratch by male

Respiratory distress (gasping)

Avian T.B?

Newcastle disease

Starvation

Turkey pox (appear as solitary nodule on the nose and is very hard)

Turkey pox (appear as solitary nodule on the ankle and is very hard)

Cheese mass that occluded the nasal passage

Turkey pox (appear as solitary nodule occluded nasal passage