Over 500 million turkeys are slaughtered annually worldwide. The welfare conditions at slaughter, including stunning effectiveness and handling, raise significant concerns.
The shackling process, where live turkeys are hung upside down by their legs, causes acute pain and distress - particularly for heavy commercial birds whose joints were already stressed by their rapid growth. Pre-stun shocks from poorly calibrated water baths can cause pain without rendering birds unconscious. Some birds miss the stunner entirely and enter the scalding tank conscious. The extreme body size of commercial turkey breeds means many are in pain for the final weeks of their lives from musculoskeletal stress. Welfare at slaughter is highly variable between facilities, and monitoring is insufficient to ensure consistent standards.