Commercial turkeys have been bred for such extreme breast muscle development that they cannot reproduce naturally and experience significant welfare problems related to their body conformation.
Turkey breeding for extreme breast size has created welfare problems that mirror those of conventional broiler chickens. The musculoskeletal and cardiovascular burden of disproportionate breast muscle causes chronic pain, reduced mobility, and shortened welfare-viable lifespans. The inability to naturally reproduce means every commercial turkey exists through artificial insemination — a process with its own welfare implications. Heritage and slower-growing turkey breeds demonstrate that turkey production is possible without these conformation welfare penalties.