Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to grow so rapidly that many cannot walk normally. Welfare reforms addressing breed selection, stocking density, and enrichment are urgently needed.
Commercial turkey production causes welfare harms comparable to those in broiler chicken production — and in some respects more severe, given the extreme growth rates achieved. Broad-breasted White turkeys — the dominant commercial breed — are so heavily muscled that natural mating is impossible and many birds struggle to walk by slaughter weight. Cardiovascular disease from rapid growth causes aortic rupture and heart failure in significant numbers of birds. Breast blisters from constant contact with litter cause chronic pain. The curious, social nature of turkeys is wholly frustrated in barren commercial sheds. Welfare improvements are available: slower-growing breeds, enriched housing with natural light and perches, and more humane slaughter methods exist and are used in higher-welfare systems.