Commercial turkey genetics have been selected for extreme growth rates that compromise welfare. Slower-growing heritage breeds offer better welfare but face economic barriers to mainstream adoption.
Turkey breed reform is one of the most fundamental welfare interventions available in commercial turkey production. The endemic lameness, cardiovascular problems, and reproductive dysfunction that characterize current commercial breeds are not inevitable features of turkey farming but artifacts of selection for extreme growth at the expense of basic physiological function. Heritage breeds demonstrate that turkeys can have normal locomotion, natural reproduction, and physiologically appropriate growth rates. The economic challenge is real - slower growth means higher production costs - but the welfare case is compelling and growing certification schemes are creating the market signals that can drive change.