Welfare issues for turkeys

Turkeys are naturally inquisitive birds, capable of flying and running at high speeds. Intensive production prevents them from acting naturally which can cause stress and damage their health.

Overcrowding

Unable to move freely, turkeys confined in overcrowded sheds cannot change their position to avoid heat, cold or dirt. When the litter becomes wet, it gives off ammonia causing breast blisters, eye and respiratory problems. It can also cause painful foot sores.

Overcrowding and poor ventilation can lead to high temperatures, causing the birds discomfort and heat stress.

Breeding and lameness

Fast growth causes leg and bone disorders, especially among heavier male birds. Severe foot sores are also more common in male birds.

Breeding males can be reared to extreme weights and often suffer from severe joint problems. They are too heavy to mate naturally and the females have to be artificially inseminated.

Spread of diseases

Whilst vaccinations exist for many infections, overcrowding increases the risk of infectious diseases spreading. The 2007 outbreak of Avian 'Flu in the UK has had devastating effects on the turkey farming industry.

Lighting, aggression and de-beaking

Low lighting in enclosed sheds is used to make the birds less active and so avoid aggression. If turkeys are not given enough darkness to rest, it can result in eye damage, leg abnormalities, increased adrenal gland size and increased mortality. It is common for turkeys to have had part of their beaks cut off, without anaesthetic.

Slaughter

Turkeys often suffer broken legs and wings from rough handling during catching, crating and transportation to the slaughterhouse. When they arrive, they may suffer pain and distress by being hung by their feet for several minutes. They often struggle before being stunned, causing dislocations and fractures. In the UK, the law allows them to be hung for up to 3 minutes, causing considerable suffering.

They can also suffer painful pre-stun electric shocks as their wings dip into the electrified bath before their heads touch the water. Some may not be stunned properly and regain consciousness before their throats are cut. They may even be conscious as they are plunged into the scalding tank, if the main arteries have not been effectively severed.

In the winter, turkeys are often killed in smaller ‘seasonal’ slaughterhouses or on-farm. This is sometimes done by dislocation, strangulation, or decapitation, possibly carried out by untrained staff and without pre-stunning. In some instances, they may have their throats cut without pre-stunning. This is illegal in the EU.

Turkeys are sometimes plucked within seconds of neck dislocation when they may still be alive and conscious.

There are alternative methods of turkey rearing and slaughter that cause less suffering.