The final hours of a farm animal's life at the slaughterhouse represent a critical welfare period requiring effective stunning, low-stress handling, and rigorous oversight.
Slaughterhouse welfare depends on effective stunning rendering animals insensible before killing. Captive bolt failures causing repeat stunning occur in a proportion of cattle kills. Water bath stunners for poultry cause pre-stun shocks and variable unconsciousness. Lairage conditions — holding pens before slaughter — influence animal stress through social disruption, fasting duration, and noise. CCTV has significantly improved oversight and produced more enforcement action than previous inspection systems.