Commercial turkey production involves billions of birds annually, with welfare challenges stemming from selective breeding for extreme growth rates and intensive confinement conditions.
Commercial turkey welfare shares many problems with broiler chicken production but is often even more extreme. The extreme selective breeding for breast muscle has created birds that are physiologically compromised — unable to mate naturally, prone to cardiac failure, and suffering from skeletal problems from their own weight. Crowded indoor housing prevents expression of natural foraging, social, and exploratory behaviors. Beak trimming, while intended to reduce pecking injuries, is itself a painful procedure that may cause chronic pain. Heritage breed turkeys, or certified higher-welfare programs that use slower-growing genetics, dramatically improve welfare outcomes. Consumer choices and institutional purchasing policies are the primary drivers of change in this sector.