New requirements for turkey meat producers and breeders

Perches and platforms

From 14 days of age, turkeys under 10 kg must have access to perches and or platforms.

Perches and platforms must be constructed, positioned and maintained to:

• be raised and not flush with the floor
• allow turkeys to always access them, except on the day of pick-up or during litter conditioning
• allow turkeys to perch in a normal posture and provide appropriate support for their feet
• minimise the risk of injury to turkeys
• minimise vent pecking by turkeys below and behind, and soiling of turkeys below.

Nest areas

Nest areas must be provided for turkey breeder birds when in lay.

If there is a single nest area, there must be enough space for the bird to enter, sit, turnaround and exit.

From 14 days of age, turkeys must have access to substrate, such as straw or sawdust. This will allow turkeys to peck, forage and scratch.

Note: if turkeys already have access to litter or an outdoor range area, such as in free-range systems, this requirement is being met.

Turkeys must not be exposed to continuous light or darkness for any 24-hour period. This is except for poults (young turkeys) raised under heat lamps or in brooders.

Turkeys must be provided with a minimum of 6 hours of darkness for any 24-hour period. This includes an uninterrupted period of darkness of at least 4 hours except:

• for poults up to one week of age (see requirement for poults below)
• for poults up to 16 weeks of age intended as layers or breeders
• to prevent huddling or clumping during very hot weather
• on the day of pickup (the day layer turkeys are removed at the end of their production cycle)
• during a disease outbreak under veterinary supervision.

Poults up to 1 week old must have a minimum of 1 hour of continuous darkness for any 24-hour period. This is except when raised under heat lamps or in brooders.

Sheds must have a light intensity of at least 10 lux at bird level during light periods. This is except under veterinary supervision to control an outbreak of pecking or cannibalism.

Note: light intensity during light periods for poults for the first 3 days after hatching must be at least 20 lux at bird level. This is a current recommendation², which will be mandatory (legally required) in Victoria from early 2026.

Ventilation

For turkeys housed in sheds, ammonia levels must be monitored and recorded. Corrective action must be taken if levels exceed 15 ppm at bird level.

Actions to reduce ammonia levels can include:

• ensuring ventilation is operating effectively
• keeping litter dry
• reducing stocking densities.

Records for welfare purposes can be in any format (written or digital). They must be kept for a minimum of 2 years.

Mechanically ventilated sheds must:

• be fitted with a backup power supply, tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations

• have an automatic alarm system that immediately warns of ventilation failure.

Corrective action must be taken if there are ventilation faults.

Stocking densities

Turkeys must have enough space to:

• stand
• turnaround
• flap their wings
• all sit at the same time.

Agriculture Victoria will provide more information on maximum stocking densities for turkeys shortly.

These changes apply to turkeys that can access outdoor range areas that are external to fixed or mobile sheds.

Reasonable action must be taken to minimise access to poultry feed and drinking water by wild birds. This helps prevent the spread of diseases.

Turkeys with access to an outdoor area must be encouraged to use it by being provided with:

• a reasonable number and size of access points
• access to appropriately located shade
• shelter from predators
• opportunities for turkeys to forage and scratch.

Note: turkeys must be adequately feathered before going outdoors.

• Incubators must be monitored during hatching. Hatchlings that are found outside the trays must be returned to the tray or placed in brooders as soon as possible.
• Desnooding can only be performed on day old hatchlings selected as potential breeders. It must not be performed for cosmetic purposes.
• Induced moulting (artificially forcing birds to moult) must not be practiced. This is unless it is approved by a relevant Government minister or their delegate.
• Turkeys must not be plucked, except to remove a small area of feathers for a medical or surgical procedure.

• Hot blade beak trimming must not be used, except in specified circumstances and under veterinary advice.
• Turkey toms (mature male turkeys) must not be overstimulated during semen collection. Any toms that show cloacal bleeding during collection must be rested for at least 3 to 4 days before being assessed for ongoing suitability for breeding.

If it is permitted and necessary to carry out a painful procedure on poultry, such as trimming an older bird’s beak, appropriate pain relief must be administered. This is where a suitable product is registered and available.

Remember, turkeys must not be lifted or carried by the head, neck, wing extremities, feathers or tail feathers, unless otherwise supported by the breast

Inspect turkeys

Turkeys must be inspected at least daily. This is at a level and frequency appropriate to:

• the production system
• age of birds
• environmental conditions
• risk to the welfare of poultry.

Plan for emergencies

A written contingency plan must be developed. This is to minimise the impact of adverse events on poultry welfare in any type of production system.

Adverse events relate to extreme weather, natural disasters, disease, injury and predation. They can include:

• electrical power or systems failure
• breakdown or mechanical failure affecting feed, water or ventilation
• adverse weather that predisposes poultry to heat or cold stress
• fire and flood
• insufficient supply of feed or water
• disease outbreak or injury
• emergency killing and disposal
• other issues specific to the enterprise or poultry being managed.

Where it is necessary to euthanise turkeys, a person must:

• have the relevant knowledge, experience and skills to be able to humanely kill turkeys or be under the direct supervision of someone who does. This is unless the poultry are suffering and need to be killed to prevent undue suffering or there is an unreasonable delay until direct supervision is available.

• take reasonable action to confirm the turkey is dead

• not use equipment that crushes a turkey’s neck

• not spin a turkey by their head to cause cervical dislocation.

Note: the humane killing of poultry is necessary if a bird is suffering from severe distress, disease or injury. This is if it cannot be reasonably treated, or there is no prospect of recovery. Killing poultry should be done promptly, safely and humanely

Requirements until early 2026

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986¹set out the mandatory (legal) requirements.

Recommendations until early 2026

The Victorian Code of Accepted Farming Practice for the Welfare of Poultry² includes guidance.

Requirements from early 2026

New poultry welfare regulations will come into effect and introduce new mandatory (legal) welfare requirements for keeping and housing turkeys.

Recommendations from early 2026

The guidelines in the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry will provide the recommended practices.

The Victorian Code of Accepted Farming Practice for the Welfare of Poultry will no longer apply.

Note: many of the current recommendations will now become mandatory (legal) requirements under the new regulations.