Turkey Truth: What the Turkey Industry Does Not Want You to Know

In the United States, the National Turkey Federation (NTF) presents a reassuring image of the turkey farming industry. Their website paints a picture of well-cared-for and humanely-raised turkeys. However, a closer look reveals that their assurances leave out critical details. In this post, we’ll examine the three central claims made by the NTF and explore the results of investigative findings and animal welfare research.

Claim 1: Turkeys Are Not Raised in Cages

The NTF emphasizes that turkeys are raised in “environmentally controlled barns,” well-protected from predators, disease, and weather extremes. Turkeys are not caged except for transport and are free to roam with access to food and water [1]. While it is true that turkeys are mostly not confined to cages, the reality of their living conditions paints a much grimmer picture.

What They Don’t Tell You: Overcrowded Barns

Turkeys may not be caged, but they are packed into barns so densely that movement is severely restricted. Investigative footage and reports from animal welfare organizations reveal that these birds often live in conditions where they can barely spread their wings or take more than a few steps [2][3].

A 2023 undercover investigation by Mercy for Animals documented conditions at two farms in Minnesota, the country s largest turkey producer. The investigator captured footage showing turkeys crammed into large warehouses with no windows [4]. Mercy for Animals also captured an image showing a baby turkey trapped underneath a pile of other lifeless baby birds.

Overcrowding also creates significant ventilation issues. Ammonia buildup from accumulated waste leads to respiratory problems, eye irritation, and skin burns in birds [5][6]. While barns may shield turkeys from (non-human) predators, the lack of fresh air and natural space hardly aligns with humane treatment.

Claim 2: Turkeys Are Not Given Hormones or Steroids for Growth

The NTF assures consumers that turkeys are free from hormones and steroids, citing federal laws that prohibit their use. They attribute the larger, “meatier” turkeys seen today to genetic improvements, better feed, and modern farming practices [1].

What They Don’t Tell You: Genetic Manipulation

Though it may be true that hormones and steroids are not used, this doesn’t mean that turkeys grow naturally. Over decades, turkeys have been selectively bred to prioritize rapid growth and larger breast sizes to entice consumers. This genetic manipulation has resulted in birds that grow so unnaturally large that their bodies often cannot support their weight [6][7].

The rapid growth leads to a range of health issues, including skeletal deformities, ruptured tendons, and cardiovascular problems. Some turkeys develop “splay leg,” a condition where their legs can no longer support their oversized bodies, causing them to collapse. Many spend their lives lying in soiled bedding, which increases their risk of infections and painful sores [5][6]. 

Claim 3: Antibiotics Are Used Responsibly

The NTF claims that antibiotics are administered judiciously and only under veterinary supervision to prevent and treat illnesses in turkeys. They emphasize that this is done in accordance with guidelines from organizations like the American Association of Avian Pathologists [1].

What They Don’t Tell You: Routine Use in Filthy Conditions

While antibiotics may be administered under veterinary supervision, their use is often necessitated by the human-created conditions in which turkeys are raised. The crowded barns, poor ventilation, and high levels of ammonia create a breeding ground for disease. Antibiotics are used not just to treat illnesses but as a preventive measure to compensate for these unsanitary conditions [2][5].

The widespread use of antibiotics in factory farming has broader implications. It contributes to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a growing public health crisis. Studies have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in ground turkey products, highlighting the risks these “modern” farming practices pose [8]. 

The Final Stages

As for those who survive the overcrowding and disease to make it through to the final stages, the unimaginable happens. These sentient beings, created conscious and self-aware, equipped for social interaction, with unique personalities, and capable of showing affection – are hung by their feet on elevated conveyors. They fight and struggle, kicking and flapping until they are immersed in an electrified stun bath.

If lucky, at that point, the turkey is rendered unconscious. But some are not so fortunate. They remain aware, absorbing the intense electrified pain. Birds, conscious or not, continue down the conveyor to the automated throat-slitting knives. Some even survive that process, only to have their throats then manually cut open.

Presumably, they should be dead before the next step; a scalding bath that loosens their feathers for plucking. But what about that “one in a million” (one in a thousand?) soul whose last sensations are the 140-degree scald or even the plucking of its feathers?

Sugar Coated Turkeys

The National Turkey Federation’s claims reflect a sanitized version of turkey farming, one designed to pacify consumers rather than educate them. While turkeys may not be confined to cages or fed hormones and steroids, they are subjected to conditions that raise significant ethical concerns.

But beyond those concerns, the NTF fails to address the core issue. Animal agriculture brings turkeys and other farmed animals into existence solely for human consumption. Regardless of how the NTF frames it, the practice of producing living beings for slaughter and profit is morally reprehensible and ethically indefensible. Hiding the facts, covering them with sugary terms like “free to roam” and “veterinary supervision,” does not alter the immorality of taking lives for profit.

References

1. National Turkey Federation. “Animal Welfare, An Industry Priority” Read More
2. Mercy for Animals. “New Investigation Exposing Cruelty in the Turkey Industry” November 21, 2023 Read More
3. PETA. “Turkey Industry Overview” Read More
4. Mercy for Animals. “Pardon a Turkey” Read More
5. MSPCA. “Farmed Animal Welfare: Turkeys” Read More
6. Compassion in World Farming. “Welfare Issues for Turkeys” Read More
7. Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge. “Factory Farming: Turkeys” Read More
8. Consumer Reports. “Talking Turkey: Ground Turkey Investigation” June 2013 Read More
9. Humane Society of the United States. “An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals in Battery Cages, Gestation Crates, and Veal Crates” July 2012 Read More