The final handling experience for livestock before slaughter significantly affects their welfare; good stockmanship, low-stress handling techniques, and appropriate facilities reduce fear and injury.
Pre-slaughter handling is the final opportunity to reduce or increase an animal's suffering before death. Livestock handled calmly by trained stockpeople using low-stress techniques experience measurably lower fear responses than those driven with electric prods, subjected to rough physical handling, or exposed to other animals showing distress. The facility design pioneered by Temple Grandin — curved races, solid sides, non-slip flooring, and careful lighting — reduces the visual triggers for flight responses. These are not simply aesthetic improvements; they are evidence-based welfare interventions with well-documented effects on stress indicators and behaviour.