Animal science senior and club president Kindra Burger said more goes into raising the turkeys than some people might think.

“When they’re born, (we need to) make sure they are able to find food and water,” she said. “If the turkey is getting picked on, we have to prevent that because it can end badly. … The welfare of the animal is our main interest.”

The turkeys were part of a graduate student’s research before reaching the club and are truly “Spartan bred,” said College of Agriculture and Natural Resources communications manager Beth Stuever.

After the turkeys have been raised, they are sent to the MSU Meat Laboratory in Anthony Hall to be processed by club members.

Richard Balander, associate professor of animal science, said the birds are stunned unconscious by an electrical shock before being drained of their blood, scalded in a tank of water, plucked of their feathers and cleaned.

“It’s a great process to give the students a sense of how things operate,” Balander said.

Although Risch has a passion for birds, he feels little remorse knowing the turkeys will soon be dinner.

“It’s part of life,” Risch said.