Poultry Transport Mortality: A Measurable Welfare Failure

Millions of poultry die during transport to slaughter annually. Monitoring and reducing transport mortality is one of the most tractable welfare interventions in poultry production.

Key Facts

UK broiler transport mortality rates average around 0.05 to 0.1 percent of birds transported
At billions of birds transported annually, this represents tens of millions of deaths
Mortality is highest in summer due to heat stress and inadequate ventilation
Catching method, crate density, and journey duration all influence transport mortality
EU law requires chickens to have access to water after 12 hours and food after 24 hours

Welfare Considerations

Poultry transport mortality is one of the most quantifiable indicators of welfare failure in the poultry industry. Birds that die during transport have experienced suffering during catching, crating, and transit. High mortality is associated with rough catching, overcrowding, temperature extremes, and excessively long journeys. Monitoring systems that track and publicly report transport mortality by producer create accountability and drive improvement. Some producers have reduced mortality significantly through mechanized catching, better crate design, and temperature monitoring.

What You Can Do

Support policies requiring public reporting of transport mortality data by producers
Choose poultry from producers with certified lower-stress transport and catching systems
Advocate for maximum journey time limits for live poultry
Support research into transport monitoring technology that catches welfare failures in real time