Leg health problems are among the most significant welfare concerns in farmed turkeys. Lameness affects a substantial proportion of commercial turkeys and causes chronic pain throughout the growing period.
Turkey leg health is an inherent consequence of intensive selection for rapid growth - the same genetic pressure that creates welfare problems in fast-growing broiler chickens applies to turkeys. Commercial turkeys grow so rapidly that leg bones cannot develop appropriately, causing structural problems and chronic pain. Lame turkeys cannot compete at feeders and drinkers, leading to nutritional deficit on top of musculoskeletal pain. Welfare improvement requires breed reform toward slower-growing genetics, as environmental management alone cannot overcome the fundamental physiological compromise of current breeds.