Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to grow so rapidly that many cannot reproduce naturally or walk without pain. Understanding turkey welfare needs identifies high-impact areas for reform.
Commercial turkey production represents one of the starkest examples of welfare harms created by selective breeding for production traits. Turkeys who cannot walk without pain, who suffer heart failure from unsustainable growth rates, and who cannot reproduce naturally inhabit a body that is fundamentally incompatible with their welfare. Reform requires breed change as a prerequisite to other improvements. Heritage breed turkeys, while more expensive, show that commercial turkey production without these systematic welfare harms is possible. Consumer demand for slower-growing breeds creates the market signal for producers to change.