Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred for extreme breast muscle growth, creating welfare problems analogous to but in some respects more severe than those seen in modern broiler chickens.
Turkey welfare is a less-discussed counterpart to broiler chicken welfare, with some respects more severe. Turkeys so extreme in their breast muscle growth that they require artificial insemination represent a selective breeding endpoint that prioritises a single trait to the point of compromising the whole animal. Skeletal deformity, cardiovascular stress, and inability to perform natural behaviours are the predictable welfare consequences. The holiday concentration of demand creates a further pressure: most commercial turkeys are raised in a narrow seasonal window with little scope for welfare innovation. Heritage breeds with slower growth and natural reproduction offer a welfare-positive alternative at higher cost.