Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred to an extreme that causes chronic health problems, and welfare reform requires addressing both management practices and the genetics of the birds themselves.
Commercial turkey welfare represents a case where genetic selection has created a bird physiologically unsuited to good welfare outcomes regardless of management. The extreme breast muscle development causes turkeys to adopt postures that stress joints and reduce mobility, creating chronic discomfort even in well-managed flocks. Cardiovascular failure is common in fast-growing birds. Improving turkey welfare requires both management interventions - lower stocking density, better litter quality, environmental enrichment - and longer-term breed reform toward slower-growing genotypes that can maintain health and mobility. Heritage breed production demonstrates that commercially viable turkey farming without these severe welfare compromises is achievable.