Wooden breast and white striping are muscle disorders caused by extreme growth selection in broiler chickens, affecting billions of birds and representing a major welfare failure.
Wooden breast and white striping represent the embodiment of what happens when productivity selection proceeds without welfare consideration. The genetic pressure for maximum breast yield has inadvertently created breeds that routinely develop painful muscular disease — a welfare failure affecting tens of billions of birds annually. Affected birds show behavioral indicators of chronic pain: reduced activity, reluctance to stand, and altered gait. The solution is clear from the science: slower-growing breeds that reach market weight over longer periods do not experience these conditions at comparable rates. The barrier to reform is economic — slower-growing birds require more feed and time, increasing production costs. Consumer willingness to pay more for higher-welfare chicken, and food company commitments to responsible sourcing, are the primary drivers of change.