Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to grow so fast they suffer chronic pain and cannot mate naturally. Breed reform is a critical welfare intervention for the 600+ million turkeys raised annually worldwide.
Turkey welfare suffers from the same fundamental problem as broiler chicken welfare - extreme growth rates that the animal's cardiovascular and skeletal systems cannot support. Turkeys bred to maximize breast muscle grow bodies that cause chronic suffering from the weight they must carry. The welfare case for breed reform is identical to that for broiler chickens: slower-growing breeds that reach slaughter weight in 25+ weeks show dramatically better leg health, fewer cardiovascular problems, and more natural behavioral repertoires. The challenge is economic - slower growth means higher cost of production requiring either consumer willingness to pay premiums or regulatory mandates.