Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to be too large to reproduce naturally and often suffer from skeletal disorders. Their welfare across production systems deserves attention.
Commercial broad-breasted turkey breeds have been selected for meat yield to the point where natural reproduction is impossible — a clear indicator of welfare-compromising genetics. As with broiler chickens, rapid growth causes musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, and painful lameness. Turkeys on commercial farms are kept in large, densely stocked sheds with minimal environmental enrichment. Pecking and cannibalism in stressed flocks lead to beak trimming. Catch and transport to slaughter involves significant stress and injury. Water bath stunning — the most common electrical stunning method — leaves a proportion of birds inadequately stunned before slaughter.