The holiday season concentrates demand for intensively farmed turkeys whose welfare is severely compromised.
Thanksgiving turkey demand represents a concentrated expression of intensive poultry farming welfare problems. Commercial turkeys have been bred to the point where their biology compromises their welfare — they cannot reproduce naturally, struggle to walk comfortably, and face cardiovascular stress from rapid growth. The holiday concentration of demand creates massive slaughter peaks that stress processing systems and may compromise slaughter welfare. Choosing heritage breeds raised on higher-welfare farms, or reducing turkey consumption, represents the most direct personal welfare intervention.