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 Research Indicates 
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King of Spring
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Post Research Indicates
that hen turkey's are "PARTHENOGENESIS". Which means virgin birth, ability of a female to have young without the male. Was discovered in 1952 by the Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania State University. It was a 12 year study. I sent off for a copy of that study.

Then another short article about it in 2007.
http://evilutionarybiologist.blogspot.c ... ic_22.html

Has anyone else heard of this?

The only thing is that is it domestic or wild turkey's. I would think both if true. And appears to be true.

Myself and 2 turkey hunting friends got into this last night at our quarterly get together. The older of the friends brought it up and stated he thought everyone that is a turkey hunter knew that. He said, Roger Lathem from PSU was involved in that study.

I have heard of it but never believed it till during our talk last night did some research and seen where a small percentage 40% could produce this way.


Earl

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:04 am
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Post Re: Research Indicates
I read the 2007 blurb. If i read that correctly it says only only turkey was ever produced from the intense project to try to accomplish non male based reproduction and a dog killed that turkey? "SCIENCE" .

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:20 am
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King of Spring
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Post Re: Research Indicates
Gobblenow wrote:
I read the 2007 blurb. If i read that correctly it says only only turkey was ever produced from the intense project to try to accomplish non male based reproduction and a dog killed that turkey? "SCIENCE" .



I know :D But it said, the egg was hatched and the poult was moved for safe keeping. Thats when I guess a turkey dog :mrgreen: ate the poult. End of study, I guess ran out of funds.

The 1952, 12 year study that Rogar Latham was a part of I understand was a lot more successful and included wild turkey not just the beltsville small white turkey. But if one google's that word (parthenogenesis) in wild turkey's one does get a little better understanding of it. That was the wrong example to post but something interesting to follow up on.

I have remembered where I had not long ago read about it and then was reminded that Gene Nunnery mentioned it in his book " I will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto The Hills" I looked at it this morning in my book and there it was, but not in scientific form but Gene relating it from an old time turkey hunter and why old gobblers get mean. Still a good book to read.

Once I get something back from Dept. of Arig. or Penn State I will post. But then again I have a hard enough time trying to hunt them then research. :smt002


Earl

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:16 pm
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King of Spring
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Post Re: Research Indicates
well I certainly hope we never see the day when the males don't exist.. :)

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:59 pm
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Post Re: Research Indicates
WVBOY wrote:
well I certainly hope we never see the day when the males don't exist.. :)



:lol: :lol:


Earl

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:51 pm
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Post Re: Research Indicates
:smt003

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Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:37 pm
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Boss Gobbler
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Post Re: Research Indicates
For your reading enjoyment and overall Turkey knowledge.

Regular readers know how much I esteem turkeys. Unfortunately I worry that my writings are not winning additional admirers for these astonishing birds. It is time to play a trump card and reveal one of the great bizarre strengths of turkeys. They are capable of virgin birth. Before you spring up in alarm and start shouting, allow me to present a miniature biology lesson. Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction. Some female organisms are capable of producing an ovum which develops into a new individual without being fertilized by a male gamete. In these cases, the mother contributes her genetic material to the offspring. Although natural parthenogenesis is frequently observed in rotifers, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and flatworms, this method of reproduction is much less common among vertebrates. However a few species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles are known to reproduce via parthenogenesis (movie-goers may recall that this happened to the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.) The turkey is very unusual in being a bird which can reproduce through this means (or at least we think it is unusual—perhaps parthenogenesis is more common among birds then we realize but we just don’t know about it except in settings like farms where it becomes obvious). Chickens can also produce self-fertilized eggs but they almost never develop beyond embryonic stages, whereas female turkeys can and frequently do produce living offspring which lack fathers. Parthenogenesis occurs in turkeys through the doubling of haploid cells. Biologists have discovered that the rate at which this occurs can be increased by selective breeding. Poults produced by parthenogenesis are capable of growing into healthy viable toms indistinguishable from toms with more traditional parentage. You will note that I wrote “toms”—all turkeys conceived via parthenogenesis were created from doubled haploids and are are homogametic. Consequently they are all all male. (This will leave mammal enthusiasts scratching their heads–since female mammals are homogametic and have two x chromosomes. However for birds and for some reptiles, males have two Z chromosomes and thus are the homogametic sex. In such species, females have one Z and one W chromosome and are the heterogametic sex.)


A Diagram to help you SEE it to better understand:

https://ferrebeekeeper.files.wordpress. ... hark_1.gif

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Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:25 am
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King of Spring
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Post Re: Research Indicates
Thanks HODY, good info. I have looked through a couple of my research study books here and found similar examples of what you posted. I am still waiting for the 1952 12 year study that should be more specific with that of the turkey. Or I hope so in that what percentage was successful and is this happening in the current wild turkey population.


Earl

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Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:35 pm
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King of Spring

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Post Re: Research Indicates
Surprised no one has initiated a new study for this. Kind of interesting. Maybe I missed it but did they say whether these male offspring could mate as any other male can do?

WVBoy, Seems you can rest easy since the youngins are male only. Still birds to hunt.

Kind of takes the fun out of life, asexual.
Vic

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Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:41 am
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King of Spring
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Post Re: Research Indicates
Good question Vic. I hope to find the answer once I get that 1952 study which seems to be rare. But I will not give up. Lots of unanswered questions in this area of wild turkeys. So far as follow up studies I could only find where a biologist mentions it. I believe that since the 52 study was done at the start of turkey restoration that is why a 12 year study was done but since the success of the restoration that the money was geared towards that to continue. Now that it seems States are happy with thier populations the money and focus seems to be toward habitat restoration to maintain the current levels.

Earl

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Wed Mar 14, 2018 5:56 pm
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