Commercial turkeys are particularly susceptible to heat stress due to their large body mass, dense plumage, and limited thermoregulatory capacity, making temperature management a critical welfare priority.
Heat stress in commercial turkeys represents a severe and often fatal welfare failure. The physiological response cascade — panting, vasodilation, reduced feed intake — becomes self-limiting as birds approach thermal limits. Panting itself generates additional metabolic heat. Large modern turkey strains, selected for rapid muscle growth, carry a metabolic burden that amplifies heat production. Housing design frequently fails to provide adequate ventilation for peak summer temperatures, particularly in naturally ventilated buildings in temperate climates experiencing increasingly frequent heatwaves due to climate change. Mortality in heat stress events is preceded by prolonged distress: birds become immobile, spread wings on the ground, and pant frantically before losing consciousness. Welfare interventions include strategic ventilation systems, cool water provision, reduced stocking densities in summer, and strategic thinning of flocks before extreme heat events.