Commercial turkey breeding involves artificial insemination of all females because selective breeding has made natural mating impossible, creating welfare problems at the foundation of the industry.
Turkey breeding welfare problems stem from decades of selection for extreme breast muscle that has made the birds physiologically incapable of natural mating. Artificial insemination requires physically restraining and manually manipulating birds weekly throughout the breeding season. The stress of repeated handling and the procedure itself are measurable welfare costs built into every commercial turkey. Slower-growth breeds with less extreme musculature retain the ability to mate naturally and have significantly better overall welfare, including lower rates of leg and cardiovascular problems. The breeding system itself requires reform to address structural welfare problems.