Current situation of the Zagorje turkey in Croatia

Abstract

The Zagorje turkey has been reared for more than four centuries in Croatia, in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje, the major part of which today belongs to the present Krapina-Zagorje and Varazdin counties. The current population of the breeding flock is estimated at 1506 birds. The research was carried on 147 family farms in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje which rear turkeys of the Zagorje turkey type. A total of 753 birds were weighed and the average weight of cocks and hens was 6.8 kg and 3.9 kg respectively. According to the farmers' reports, the average annual laying rate was 20.6 eggs of which 16.7 adult birds are reared. As regards feather colour, the Zagorje turkey may be subdivided into five varieties of which the bronze variety is the most numerous (50%). The body measurements of the present Zagorje turkeys, such as the body length, body width and the breast bone length and breast depth are not significantly different from those established in 1937.