The catching and loading of poultry before transport to slaughter causes significant injury and distress. Improving catching practices is among the most direct welfare interventions in poultry production.
The catching phase immediately before transport to slaughter is one of the highest-risk welfare moments in poultry production. Manual catching involves intensive human-bird interaction as catchers grab multiple birds simultaneously by their legs, carrying them head-down in conditions that cause wing dislocations, leg fractures, and haemorrhages. The acute fear response generates cortisol that persists through transport. Welfare improvements include training catchers in appropriate hold techniques, reducing catching density to allow better handling, using dimmed red lighting during catching to reduce bird activity, and exploring mechanized catching alternatives that reduce rough handling. These interventions are achievable at modest cost and significantly reduce the injury rate at this critical welfare point.