Commercial turkeys are among the most intensively modified farm animals, selectively bred for rapid breast muscle growth that compromises their ability to walk, mate naturally, and maintain normal physiological function. Welfare reform is urgent and achievable.
The welfare crisis in commercial turkey production parallels that in broiler chickens but receives far less public attention. The selective breeding that has produced commercially valued rapid breast growth has simultaneously created animals whose bodies are physiologically compromised. Walking is painful for many commercial turkeys; the inability to mount natural behaviours including mating reduces positive welfare states; and cardiovascular strain from rapid growth causes sudden death syndrome. These are not management failures but consequences of the breed selection itself. Reform pathways include: slower-growing breeds, maximum stocking density reductions, enrichment provision, and natural light access. Some certification schemes — particularly RSPCA Assured in the UK — specify breed welfare criteria and stocking maxima for turkeys.