Commercial turkey breeds selected for extreme growth rates suffer serious welfare problems including leg disorders, cardiovascular disease, and inability to mate naturally, making breed reform a central welfare priority.
Commercial turkey production has created an animal that cannot live without significant human intervention and that suffers structural health problems as a direct consequence of selective breeding decisions. Leg pain is chronic and progressive in heavy strains. Cardiovascular disease strikes apparently healthy birds without warning. The inability to mate reflects how extreme the divergence from functional bird biology has become. These are not incidental welfare problems but consequences designed into the system by breeding goals prioritizing growth over health. Reform requires breed change and this is technically achievable through transition to slower-growing lines.