Why has artificial insemination become necessary in turkey production?

In modern commercial turkey production, artificial insemination has become a necessity because of the physical characteristics of the birds. Through selective breeding for optimal meat production, modern hybrid turkeys have been developed to reach market weight rapidly and grow to a significant size.

As a result of this intensive breeding, male turkeys (toms) have become too large to mate naturally with hens. Because these birds are physically unable to reproduce through natural sexual intercourse, the industry relies entirely on artificial insemination to maintain production levels. This practice is a direct consequence of prioritizing production efficiency, which has fundamentally altered the biological and physical traits of the animals.12