Turkey welfare receives far less attention than chicken welfare despite comparable production volumes. The unique welfare challenges of modern turkey breeds demand specific attention.
Turkey welfare has been largely overshadowed by the focus on broiler chicken welfare reform, yet turkeys face welfare challenges that are in some respects more severe. The extreme muscular development of modern broad-breasted white turkeys causes structural leg problems, cardiovascular stress, and inability to perform natural locomotion. Their inability to mate naturally — requiring artificial insemination for all commercial production — represents an extraordinary modification of a species for human purposes that has welfare implications for natural behavior expression. Slower-growing heritage turkey breeds that can mate naturally and walk normally provide a welfare-positive alternative, though they produce at much lower efficiency. As broiler welfare reform advances, turkey welfare is increasingly recognized as the next major poultry welfare frontier requiring comparable corporate commitment and consumer engagement.