That turkey at your Thanksgiving table probably didn’t come about in the way you might guess. Thanksgiving is all about turkey, so it’s no wonder that people search for the biggest turkey possible to feed their families and friends. Believe it or not, this has had an impact on turkey reproduction. In the 1950s, broad-breasted turkeys became more popular than traditional turkeys. These turkeys grow faster—and bigger—than regular turkeys.
Because the turkeys have large breasts, they get in the way when it comes time to reproduce. A combination of this logistical issue and the demand for broad-breasted turkeys has resulted in one solution: artificial insemination. A team secures the male semen from the breeding turkey, called a tom, then bring the contribution into the hen house for insemination. This is a process that takes place year-round to keep up with the demand for turkey.