Farmed turkeys face significant welfare challenges similar to broiler chickens, including fast-growth breed problems, overcrowding, inability to mate naturally and painful beak trimming.
Turkey welfare in commercial production reflects many of the same problems as broiler chicken welfare — fast growth, overcrowding, barren environments and painful mutilations performed as management solutions to welfare problems caused by the system itself. The inability of commercial turkeys to mate naturally is a profound illustration of how breeding selection for production traits can eliminate natural behaviours entirely. A welfare-positive turkey is one whose genetic makeup allows natural behaviour, whose environment provides space and enrichment, and whose slaughter is humane. Such animals exist in small-scale high-welfare systems but command a significant price premium that limits their availability.