Welfare challenges for commercial turkeys driven by extreme genetic selection for rapid breast muscle growth.
Commercial turkey breeding has created an animal so physiologically extreme that basic biological functions — including reproduction and pain-free locomotion — are compromised. The extreme breast muscle mass that makes commercial turkeys profitable also causes skeletal stress, breathing difficulties, and movement impairment. Turkeys in intensive systems cannot express the broad behavioral repertoire of their wild counterparts. Reform requires breeding policy changes that prioritize functional anatomy over maximum breast yield, coupled with enrichment and space requirements that allow natural behavior. These changes are technically feasible but require regulatory and market pressure to implement.