Commercial turkey production has created birds so genetically transformed that natural reproduction and movement are compromised, raising fundamental welfare questions about the direction of selection.
Commercial turkey welfare illustrates the logical endpoint of unconstrained selection for production traits. Birds so heavily muscled that they cannot mate naturally or move comfortably represent a fundamental welfare failure embedded in genetics. Unlike housing welfare problems that can be addressed through management changes, genetic welfare problems require breeding reform. The availability of heritage breeds demonstrates that turkeys can be produced for meat without the extreme conformation problems. Consumer demand for heritage turkey and welfare certification that prohibits the most extreme genetic selection offers a market pathway for change.