Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred for rapid growth and large breast size, causing significant welfare problems. Alternative breeds offer a path to better welfare outcomes.
The welfare crisis in commercial turkey production stems directly from extreme selective breeding for rapid growth and oversized breast muscle. These birds are fundamentally compromised in their ability to perform basic behaviors including walking, mating, and preening. The suffering experienced by billions of turkeys annually in commercial systems is largely invisible to consumers but represents one of the most severe widespread welfare problems in animal agriculture. Slower-growing and heritage breeds retain normal skeletal proportions and mobility, and show dramatically better welfare outcomes. Consumer demand for these breeds, though currently niche, signals a viable market that could drive meaningful breed reform.