Feds spend $1.7 million to watch slow, fat turkeys
Americans may have had their fill of turkey after gorging themselves on the birds for Thanksgiving, but a new study — with not-so-new findings — has dished out second helpings.
Domesticated turkeys bred for their meat weigh up to three times more than their wild counterparts, according to a study from Brown University researchers that was funded with $1.7 million in federal grants.
While the birds have increased muscle mass and breast meat, there’s little change in the length of their bones and limbs, leading to a slower-moving turkey that waddles, the study says.
“The increase in body mass, relatively short hindlimb bones and altered distribution of muscle mass in today’s domestic turkeys may make maintaining equivalent gait dynamics difficult,” the study noted.
Wild turkeys have been observed running a six-minute mile — a speed that puts novice runners to shame — but their captive brothers and sisters are far slower. – READ MORE
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