The catching and loading of commercial poultry for transport to slaughter is a major welfare risk point that is associated with high rates of injury and death if not managed properly.
Poultry catching at the end of the production cycle is a welfare bottleneck that has historically received insufficient attention relative to its scale and impact. The physical stress of being caught, carried upside down, and loaded into crates or drawers causes measurable physiological disturbance and can result in injuries and deaths. Industry pressure on catching teams to work rapidly creates systemic incentives toward rough handling. Mechanical harvesting systems that collect birds more gently from the floor have shown welfare improvements, but require significant investment. Catching supervisor training, CCTV monitoring, and welfare outcome measurement at the point of catching are important interventions.