Plainville Farms turkeys are fed a vegetarian, balanced diet of ground corn, soybean meal, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and canola oil. Every couple of weeks, as the turkey grows, the portions of the feed ingredients are adjusted to meet the turkeys’ nutritional needs.
To make outstanding turkey products, it is necessary to start with healthy, vigorous turkeys. All of our turkeys are grown in buildings on a bedding of wood shavings or straw. The turkeys always have fresh feed and water, a comfortable temperature, plenty of fresh air, and freedom to move around. If turkeys are taken off water too soon, crowded, bruised, or stressed, they suffer and will not be tender and moist.
Regarding free range, our experience indicates domesticated turkeys are more content and likely to thrive when they are free to roam in spacious, open-sided, naturally-ventilated buildings. We grew free range turkeys for over 60 years. In 1990, we discontinued the practice in order to protect our turkeys from weather extremes, natural predators, and the diseases wild fowl carry.
Great care is taken in transporting our turkeys to the processing plant. We raise our turkeys close to our processing plant, have our own specially designed transport trailers, and use extra care in moving them. In support of Plainville Farms’ unique operation, concern for the welfare of its turkeys, and sound production practices, Plainville Farms has been granted USDA permission to lay claim to "Animal Friendly Practices," unprecedented in the turkey industry.
Plainville Farms’ turkeys are raised in a manner that avoids the administration of antibiotics. By growing turkeys without using antibiotics they thrive in a healthier environment. Consumers also benefit from this proactive approach as it is one more step towards antibiotic independence. In addition to raising turkeys without antibiotics, no hormones or growth stimulants are used at any time. (Federal law prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones in poultry.) We do not use any animal by-products in our feeds. In place of the animal by-products, we use canola oil.
Our turkeys have more room to roam in the buildings than normal, receiving 1 sq. ft. per poult, 2.5 sq. ft. per hen = 18 lbs., 3.0 sq. ft. per hen = 18 lbs., 4 sq. ft. per tom = 30 lbs., and 4.5 sq. ft. per tom = 30 lbs. This is versus the industry average of 0.8 sq. ft. per poult, 2.0 sq. ft. per hen, and 3.0 sq. ft. per tom. The additional space and natural ventilation of the buildings provides the turkeys with better bedding, air quality, and water and feed conditions. When transported to the processing plant, the turkeys are gently herded onto flatbed trailers and spend less than one hour on the trailers.