Modern commercial turkeys have been bred for extremely rapid growth, creating serious welfare problems including cardiovascular disease and leg disorders.
Commercial turkey welfare is fundamentally compromised by genetics selected for body mass at the expense of health and welfare. Rapid growth outpaces skeletal and cardiovascular development, causing chronic lameness, heart failure (flip-over disease), and respiratory problems. Birds spend much of their lives unable to move comfortably. Genetic reform — slowing growth rates and breeding for health alongside productivity — offers the most durable welfare improvement. Heritage breed production, while more expensive, demonstrates that profitable turkey farming without endemic welfare problems is possible.