Australian Turkey Farming

The Facts

Genetic Alterations

Factory-farmed turkeys have been genetically altered and bred to grow bigger and faster in order to meet the consumer demand for breast meat. Inducing such rapid body growth creates a number of health problems for these birds.⁽³⁴⁾ Both male and female factory-farmed turkeys are almost twice the size of their wild counterparts. For example, a female wild turkey (hen) typically weighs approximately 4kg⁽³⁵⁾, while factory-farmed hens can weigh up to 8kg or more.⁽³⁶⁾ A wild male turkey (tom) can weigh up to 9kg⁽³⁷⁾, whereas a factory farmed tom can weigh 17kg or more.⁽³⁸⁾

Another study has shown that the growth rate of turkeys (to 16 weeks) has doubled. This study showed that non-factory-farmed turkeys weigh 11.5kg (at 54 weeks) whilst a commercially raised male turkey can weigh up to 27kg.⁽³⁹⁾ In Australia, turkeys are slaughtered at approximately 10 to 12 weeks of age⁽⁴⁰⁾ but the toms can sometimes be kept up to 16 weeks of age⁽⁴¹⁾. On average, the birds gain about 1kg a week.⁽⁴²⁾

One report explains:

If a 3kg (human) baby grew at the same rate that today's (factory farmed) turkey grows, when the baby reached 18 weeks, it would weigh approximately 227 kg.⁽⁴³⁾

As a result factory-farmed turkeys suffer painful health problems such as crippled legs and swollen joints.⁽⁴⁴⁾ They have also been so genetically altered that a range of muscle and skeletal disorders often make them barely able to walk.⁽⁴⁵⁾ Unfortunately, the breeding companies still aim to produce ever-increasing growth rates, perpetuating these serious welfare issues.⁽⁴⁶⁾