The other day I shot a turkey with a brown beard it was 10" long and I have never seen this before. Well today I shot one with three beards one that is 9-1/2, half of which is brown and half of which is the normal black the second one is 4-1/2 and solid brown and looks to be cut off it is so even and the thrid is the same as the first except only 8". I have heard of turkeys having dry rot in the beard is this it and if so how can they be protected to keep them from breaking.
Thanks for your time.
Joey A.
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I may have found my own answer. What do yall think?
Disease -- Turkeys will occasionally get a melanin deficiency in their beard. Melanin is the pigment that makes the beard black and sometimes the melanin production is stopped during the growth of the beard and the beard gets a blonde or light colored streak across it. Usually the melanin production will pick back up and the rest of the beard will be black but the beard will always have that blonde streak through it. The light-colored portion of the beard is much more brittle and weaker than the black portions and the beards will often break off at that point or stop growing. Some turkeys suffering from this will have completely blonde beards.
Joey if you post your email i will send you a picture of a Jake that has this...Blonde Beard....i have one i raise...I am happy to know whay this is.. i was wondering about it...
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