Our position paper “Ending the transport of turkeys in low crates” summarizes the current scientific literature on the transport of turkeys in the forced squatting position.

Expertise for Animals prepared the position paper for the French organization L214. The organization is committed to the abolition of suffering inducing practices in factory farming. We would like to thank L214 for allowing us to make the paper freely and easily accessible on our website.

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Summary

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It is common practice in France and Germany to transport turkeys in low containers. The birds are forced to squat in a bent position for hours on end, causing them prolonged suffering.

The low crates prevent the turkeys from standing with their heads upright. Particularly low containers even prevent the birds from sitting with their heads stretched out normally. Painful injuries such as bruises, broken bones and skin tears can occur. The animals experience stress, pain, fear, discomfort and frustration. Some birds do not survive the torturous conditions and die en route.
The problem: Low transport crates
European law does not specify any minimum sizes for transport containers. In practice, very low transport cages are common. They prevent the turkeys from standing upright with their heads stretched out in a natural position. Some containers are so low that the turkeys cannot even raise their heads when squatting.

Many turkeys already suffer from a form of leg weakness (tibial dyschondroplasia), lameness, foot pad inflammation and breast skin lesions due to over-breeding and the conditions in which they are kept. The low transport containers aggravate their condition due to restricted movement.

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The position paper explains the links between the poor health of the animals and transportation practices. In the appendix, the paper also summarizes the most important study results on the transport of turkeys in containers.

For Expertise for Animals and L214, it is particularly important to point out that the demands stated in the paper only represent a detailed improvement in the poor transport conditions and do not solve the fundamental problems associated with the transportation of overbred and often sick turkeys.

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