Commercial turkeys are bred for extreme breast muscle development that causes significant welfare problems including difficulty walking, inability to mate naturally, and cardiovascular stress.
The welfare of commercial turkeys mirrors that of broiler chickens in many respects: extreme selective pressure for rapid growth and large muscle mass has created animals whose bodies are fundamentally compromised. A turkey that cannot walk without pain, cannot mount to mate, and is at high risk of cardiovascular failure is experiencing welfare problems rooted in the genetics themselves rather than simply poor management. The solution, as with broilers, lies in transitioning to slower-growing breeds with lower muscle hypertrophy and providing conditions that allow expression of natural behaviours.