Outdoor turkeys on Walser meadows as exotic species
The demand for turkey meat is increasing both in gastronomy and in private kitchens. More than 50 percent of the meat has to be imported from abroad because turkey farming in Austria is very small.
Free-range turkeys on Walser meadows
In Wals (Flachgau), a farm has recently started keeping turkeys and has thus created a second mainstay. The 30 pasture turkeys spend their day outdoors in Wals. The farmer’s wife observes that the fishy grass and the many movements in the animals are noticeable. “Of course, the effort involved in grazing is greater because you have to move the fences again and again, but species-appropriate husbandry is simply important to me,” says farmer Agnes Gerl.
Turkeys in the supermarket mostly from abroad
However, conditions like those on the meadows in Wals are the exception. Turkeys that end up packaged in the supermarket often come from foreign high-performance breeders, where they are kept in a confined space with genetic feed and antibiotics. In Salzburg, on the other hand, keeping turkeys is strictly regulated.
Austria has a pioneering role
“There are practically no regulations for turkey husbandry that are the same across Europe. Austria, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland are playing a pioneering role here,” says State Veterinary Director Josef Schöchl. In recent years, it has been determined that only 40 kilograms of turkeys per square meter may be kept in intensive farming. According to Schöchl, there are no upper limits for keeping turkeys in the eastern states.
Animal welfare is more expensive
Animal-friendly turkey husbandry not only takes up space, it also costs money. Turkeys are fattened for around 20 weeks before they are slaughtered. Rising energy prices are currently making keeping them even more expensive. Relief is given to those who hardly have to buy additional feed. This also applies to the turkey farmers in Wals, they can get most of the feed from their own farms, from arable land or pellets made from clover grass.
Farmers cannot keep up with dumping prices
In the end, as with so many meat products, the market determines the price. Local farmers cannot keep up here. The Döderer farmer in Wals charges 17 euros for a kilo of pasture turkey. The supermarket meat is on average five euros cheaper.
When buying turkey meat, it is all the more important to make sure that the meat comes from Austria. “With all animal-based foods, it is important to look at the origin. It is particularly important for turkeys, because Austrian turkeys are kept in a way that is more animal-friendly and animal welfare-friendly than in other European countries,” says State Veterinary Director Josef Schöchl. The pasture turkeys from Wals all find buyers in the area. 26 of the 30 animals are already taken.