Farmed turkeys have been selectively bred for extreme breast muscle development that creates chronic health problems including leg disorders, cardiovascular disease and an inability to mate naturally, making welfare improvement inseparable from genetic reform.
The welfare problems of commercial turkeys are not incidental to the production system — they are written into the genome of the birds themselves through decades of selection for maximum breast yield. Every bird in a conventional flock experiences the chronic welfare costs of extreme body proportions: breathing effort, leg pain, reduced mobility and cardiovascular strain throughout their lives. These are not correctable through management improvements alone but require genetic change. Heritage and slower-growing breeds demonstrate that turkey production without these welfare costs is commercially possible. The scale of the seasonal turkey industry means that welfare improvements would benefit hundreds of millions of birds globally.