Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred for such extreme breast muscle mass that they cannot mate naturally, struggle to walk, and suffer from leg and cardiovascular problems throughout their shortened lives.
Commercial turkey production represents one of the most extreme examples of selective breeding creating inherent welfare compromise. The birds body is engineered for maximum breast meat yield at the cost of basic functional capability — natural mating, comfortable locomotion, and cardiovascular health. This is a structural welfare problem that cannot be addressed through management alone; it requires changing the genetic baseline of production birds. Heritage breeds demonstrate that turkeys can be economically viable without these extreme genetic modifications. Consumer demand for heritage breed products and regulatory pressure on growth rates represent the most effective levers for change.