Commercial turkey production has created birds so selectively bred for rapid growth that basic welfare is compromised - the birds struggle to walk, thermoregulate, and behave normally.
The welfare problems of commercial turkey production are deeply embedded in the genetics of the animals themselves. Selective breeding for maximal breast meat production has created birds that struggle to support their own weight, cannot breed without human assistance, and are prone to cardiovascular collapse. These are not management failures that can be fixed through better housing - they are consequences of breeding decisions that prioritized production traits over animal welfare. Slower-growing turkey breeds with better welfare profiles exist but command higher prices. Meaningful turkey welfare improvement requires either accepting higher prices for slower-growing breeds or substantially reducing consumption of intensive turkey products.