Commercial turkeys have been selectively bred for rapid breast muscle growth to the point of significant welfare compromise, affecting mobility, reproduction, and lifespan.
Commercial turkey breeding has created animals so extreme that natural reproduction, comfortable walking, and thermoregulation are compromised. Turkeys raised for Thanksgiving weigh more than twice what natural turkey breeds do at the same age. This rapid growth causes cardiovascular problems, leg deformities, and joint pain. Heritage breeds raised on pasture represent a meaningful welfare improvement for consumers willing to pay premium prices.