Intensive Farming

Poultry Catching and Loading Welfare

The catching and loading of poultry for transport to slaughter is a high-risk welfare event causing significant injury and mortality.

Key Facts

Catching and loading injuries affect 2-4% of broilers in many studies
Fractures, dislocations, and internal hemorrhage occur during catching
Mechanical catching machines can reduce injuries compared to manual catching
Training and supervision of catching crews significantly impacts welfare outcomes

Welfare Considerations

Poultry catching involves manual or mechanical capture in darkness, inversion, and loading into crates. Improper handling causes bone fractures, joint dislocations, and internal hemorrhage. Wing injuries from rough handling cause pain that persists until slaughter. Good catching technique and trained, supervised crews demonstrably reduce injury rates.

What You Can Do

Advocate for catching crew training requirements in poultry regulations
Support mechanical catching system adoption where welfare evidence supports it
Buy poultry from producers with committed welfare audit programs
Back research into catching and loading methods that reduce injury