The welfare of cattle in abattoirs during lairage, handling, stunning and slaughter is monitored through official veterinary inspection, but evidence suggests welfare outcomes vary significantly between facilities.
Abattoir welfare outcomes depend on the interaction of facility design, equipment maintenance, staff training and management culture. Even with mandatory CCTV and official veterinary inspection, individual animal welfare at slaughter varies. Welfare at slaughter begins long before the stun box, with lairage design, handling practices and animal familiarity with human contact all significant.