Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred for rapid growth and large breast muscles, creating serious welfare problems. Understanding these issues is essential for informed consumer choices.
Commercial turkey production creates a suite of welfare problems rooted in selective breeding for production traits. Turkeys bred for massive breast muscles carry a disproportionate weight burden that strains their legs and cardiovascular systems. Lameness is both painful and functionally limiting, preventing turkeys from accessing food and water. Cardiovascular failure — sudden death syndrome — affects fast-growing birds whose hearts cannot keep pace with their growth. The inability to mate naturally is a profound alteration of normal behavior. Crowded conditions and inability to express behavioral needs including dustbathing, foraging, and flight create chronic frustration. Heritage breeds demonstrate that turkeys can be raised with far fewer health problems when growth is not artificially accelerated.