White Holland

Raise White Holland turkeys as a heritage breed that bridges the gap between heritage flavor and commercial presentation. Toms reach 20-25 lbs and hens 14-18 lbs in 20-24 weeks. Originating from white-feathered sports of heritage breeds and refined in Holland before arriving in America in the 1800s, this breed is classified as threatened by The Livestock Conservancy.

Why It Works

White Hollands mature 4-8 weeks faster than most heritage breeds while still breeding naturally, foraging effectively, and maintaining strong leg structure. Their white plumage produces a clean carcass after plucking with no dark pin feather marks, giving them the same processing advantage as commercial whites combined with heritage meat flavor.

Tips

• Allow at least 100 sq ft of pasture per bird for foraging, which reduces feed costs noticeably
• Use their clean white carcass appearance as a selling point for direct-to-consumer sales
• Start poults on 28% protein game bird starter, then transition to 20% grower feed at 8 weeks
• Expect processing yields around 68-72% of live weight, slightly better than most heritage breeds