Commercial turkey breeds have been selected for extreme growth rates that cause welfare problems, while heritage and slower-growing breeds demonstrate that turkey farming can be conducted with dramatically better welfare outcomes.
Turkey breed welfare parallels the broiler chicken situation where selective breeding for single production traits has created animals whose physiology is fundamentally compromised. The extreme breast musculature in commercial turkeys shifts their centre of gravity, making walking painful and effortful. The cardiovascular system cannot sustain the demands of their metabolic rate, leading to high rates of heart failure. The inability to mate naturally requires universal artificial insemination - a stressful procedure. Heritage breeds that retained natural proportions demonstrate that profitable turkey farming without these welfare compromises is possible, though at lower volume and higher price points. Consumer demand for heritage and slow-growing turkey products is the primary market lever for change.