Government emails obtained through an open records request reveal that turkeys were brutally killed at a Quebec turkey farm in the wake of an avian influenza (also known as bird flu) outbreak.
Animal Justice obtained emails from Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) employees that outlined the agency’s response when three barns full of turkeys were infected with avian flu. The seven-person team spent three days killing every bird on the Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier farm.
According to the emails, the original plan for the mass killing (euphemistically called “depopulation” by the meat industry) called for suffocating the birds with carbon dioxide gas, without requiring any humans to enter the barn. But the CFIA were unable to source a supplier for the gas, so the team used small captive bolt guns called “Zephyrs” to shoot thousands of birds in the head, one by one.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the CFIA-led team also used a castration tool called a Burdizzo to violently crush the spinal cords of the innocent birds.
As autumn arrives and we enter the season of turkey an interesting question arises – what is a castrated turkey called? It may seem an odd thing to wonder but this peculiar term actually has a fascinating history behind it.
The word for a castrated male turkey is “hokie.” Hokie can also be used as an adjective meaning fake or ersatz. So a hokie turkey is a turkey that has been castrated and can no longer reproduce.
But where does this unusual word come from? To understand the origins of “hokie,” we need to look at the history of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University – better known as Virginia Tech.
The Origins of the Virginia Tech Hokies
In 1896 when Virginia Tech was transitioning from being called Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College to its current name students held a contest to come up with a new cheer and mascot for the school’s athletic teams. The winning submission was a rhyming cheer that included the nonsensical phrase “Hoki, Hoki, Hoki, Hy!” No one is quite sure what the word “hoki” meant originally, but it became a tradition to chant this cheer at Virginia Tech games.
Over the next few decades, live turkey mascots were brought to Virginia Tech football games for entertainment. By 1913, fans were referring to the live turkey mascots as “Hokie birds.” At some point, the castrated turkey definition of the word “hokie” also came into use at the school. Whether it was meant as an insult by rival teams or adopted in jest by Virginia Tech students themselves remains a mystery.
In any case, by the 1970s, Virginia Tech had fully embraced the turkey as its official mascot. Costumed HokieBird mascots began appearing at games and events, delighting fans with their turkey antics. Today, the term “Hokie” is a badge of pride for Virginia Tech students, alumni, and sports fans.
Why Castrate a Turkey?
While the castrated turkey connection may seem odd, there are practical reasons why poultry farmers castrate male turkeys. Castration makes the birds calmer and less aggressive, preventing injuries from fighting. It also channels more energy into meat production rather than reproduction, making the turkeys heavier and more profitable to raise.
The most common methods of castrating turkeys and other poultry are:
- Surgical castration – Removing the testes surgically
- Burdizzo castration – Crushing the spermatic cords with a burdizzo clamp
- Chemical castration – Injecting hormones to reduce testosterone
So while we may chuckle at the idea of a “hokie” bird today, castration has long been a standard practice in poultry farming. The links between castrated turkeys, Virginia Tech, and agricultural history make the term “hokie” more meaningful than it first appears.
The Tradition Lives On
Words often take on surprising new meanings over time. So the next time you hear someone shout “Go Hokies!” or you bite into a turkey burger, remember the unusual story behind what a castrated turkey is called.
Far from its agricultural origins, “Hokie” is now a beloved nickname for a major university. The turkey mascot tradition lives on as HokieBird fires up fans at Virginia Tech games across the country. And the practice of castrating male poultry continues as a way maximize productivity on turkey farms.
The “hokie” turkey is a quirky convergence of farming lingo, sports fandom, and university history. So while you enjoy turkey this fall, take a moment to appreciate this colorful term and how it came to be!
What Is a Burdizzo?
The Burdizzo is a blunt, clamp-like device used to castrate larger animals like cows and sheep. It works by crushing the spermatic cords, stopping blood flow to the testes. For turkeys, it kills by crushing their neck bones and spinal cords. Even for its intended purpose, the device is known to have a high failure rate.
But as a tool for turkey euthanasia, it outright fails to adhere to industry-designed guidelines for bird euthanasia methods, which state: “crushing of the neck bones is unacceptable prior to loss of sensibility.” There’s no indication the CFIA officials knocked the birds out prior to crushing their necks with the Burdizzo, meaning the brutal killings went against industry guidelines.
Burdizzo castration device Photo: RichardBH | Flickr
Why is a turkey called a turkey?
FAQ
What is the name of a castrated turkey?
- Capons can be raised by surgically removing the testes or by implanting estrogen.
- Capons that are labeled “all natural” have been surgically caponized.
- Capons are docile and mellow because they have lost sex hormones.
What is a castrated male turkey?
An adult male turkey that has been castrated is called a “capon.” Capons are typically created for meat production, as the process of castration can lead to the development of tender and flavorful meat. This practice is often done to improve the quality of the meat by altering the hormone levels in the bird.
What is a male boy turkey called?
Adult male turkeys are called gobblers. Juvenile males are called jakes. Gobblers average around 18-22 pounds and can have a wingspan of 5 feet. Adult female turkeys are called hens.
Why is a hokie a turkey?
Then, in 1913, in keeping with the animal interpretation of the term, a fan brought trained turkeys to the games and had them perform for the crowds. In time, the teams were called the Hokiebirds, and the turkey mascot and Hokie nickname stuck.